Sharia Law and Women

After a particulary heated argument with my daughter over the tenants of Islam and Sharia law, I thought I'd help her come to understand why I fought for women's rights in the 60s and 70s. Although I am not a proponant of abortion, I do believe in a woman's right to chose. I do not believe we can legislate morality.

In Islam, they do not have a minister or priest, instead they have an Imam. Men can lead women in prayer, but women cannot lead men. Women are forbidden to pray during their monthly cycle.

On the one hand, Sharia law teaches that men must be kind to their women, while many forbid women to work outside the home. In terms of inheritance, women generally receive half of what their brothers inherit, if they are allowed to inherit at all.

Tradition holds that Muslim women may enter marriage with only Muslim men. On the other hand, Koran allows Muslim men to marry any woman of the 'book' which includes Christians and those of Jewish descent as long as they are chaste. All children are required to be raised Muslim.
 
A man may marry four women, a woman just one man. 

The life of a non-Muslim is worth less than the life of a Muslim

Circumcision is obligatory (for every male and female)
by cutting off the piece of skin on the glans of the penis of the male,but circumcision of the female is by cutting out the clitoris. This is a frequent practice, though there is some argument on the meaning of the word, bazr.

Sharia law is practiced in Britan while the French are banning the burka. As I am obviously not a Muslim, I did not learn these tenants by experience, but rather by education. There is much debate about the Koran as there is about the Bible on specific obligations.

Ground Zero Mosque:

I will fight to the death to defend the Imam's right to build his mosque near ground zero. But is building the mosque, the RIGHT thing to do. When Catholic nuns wanted to build a convent near Auschwitz,, Jews rose up to stop it. Pope Paul stepped in saying, You certainly have the right to build your convent, but it is not the right thing to do.

Sensitivity has its place among the survivors of 911. Let us give them the respect they deserve.