Government should act to abolish Sharia courts

I think it is difficult to get a rational and reasoned discussion going about genuine concerns about female oppression because they get caught up in general anti-Muslim attitudes which sometimes are very prejudiced.

I do think that within some of the national media it appears to be that Muslims as a group are often being identified in a more and more negative light and one that is not always accurate and sometimes 'scapegoating'.
Whilst there are Muslims who are political/religious extremists and that some cultural practices within predominately Muslim communities regarding women are completely unacceptable there are also a huge number of Muslims who live honest and decent lives. The continued negative focus acts to alienate and maybe even radicalise some people.. a kind of self fulfilling prophecy.
I am not advocating any sort of censorship of news but just balanced and well informed news reporting!

I agree, Penstemmon. Focus on the issue.

Thanks Lily and penstemmon for your posts - and When for the link to the prosecution. I've just posted on the child Bride death thread, which links to this discussion

Thanks thatbags for the thread. I had no idea that this is going on in Britain - can you imagine what would happen if the tables were turned and British people living in Muslim countries tried to set up British courts?
I am appalled- does anyone know how to first of all find your local MP and secondly how to complain to him about these 'goings on' ?

Actually, Reddevil, that is exactly what Britain did in all the countries it conquered, and the law systems of many former colonies are still based on the English courts. In general, that was an improvement on summary justice handed out by some overlord.

It is difficult to challenge abuses of women and children if everything you say is taken as being prejudiced and anti-muslim. It is fear of being labelled racist that has stopped schools, social services and police from intervening to protect the vulnerable from cruel 'cultural' practices.

I am aware of the colonial history greatnan. The hypothetical question was referring to the present day. Try turning the tables in modern day Iran, for instance.

If only we could!

reddevil3 findyourmp.parliament.uk/

Surely the sharia 'courts' can only function within the UK law - anything else is by definition illegal. After all, there are Jewish 'courts', and the CofE certainly has its own 'courts' - no reason why Islam shouldn't rule on questions of its ritual and dogma.

If women go willingly to these courts , any of them, and agree to abide by their decision, that's fine - but I very much doubt it.

Slightly off the subject of Sharia Courts, but pertinent to the discussion about the emancipation of Muslim women, I don't know whether anyone was listening to Matthew Wright's discussion show this morning. One of the subjects covered was a recent ruling by a Birmingham college banning the niquab. One of the people who phoned in on this subject was a Muslim girl who was extremely outspoken, in a good way in her opinion of the need to fit in with the culture of the country you are living in. She apparently told her friends who wore face coverings that they should go back to where they came from as this had no place in western culture, her words not mine, her sentiments were well received by the studio audience. I believe a judge recently asked a witness to uncover her face in court as he was of the opinion that her whole face needed to be seen by the jury. I think this is a perfectly reasonable request the eyes are not the only part of the face that register expression and emotion. At best they come across as a barrier, something to hide behind and make the wearer anonymous and at worst they just look sinister, after all they were the chosen facial apparel of highway robbers!

It seems that the Judge in question has now backed down...

uk.news.yahoo.com/defendants-full-face-veil-allowed-151819915.html#F3ku7TW

Interesting - but not surprising. A close friend who was a Magistrate left after being accused of racism for saying she felt uncomfortable about taking evidence from anyone with their face covered. She wanted to watch their expressions and emotions and said she wouldn't be expected to hear evidence from someone in a balaclava or motor cycle helmet that covered the face. There must be magistrates who are blind or partially sighted, and I expect they manage. I'll be interested to see the Judge's ruling on whether he'll take evidence from her with her face covered. I suspect he won't have a choice. I feel uncomfortable about this but recognise it's not a straight forward issue...

When I heard about the woman who wanted to appear in court with her face covered I did wonder how anyone could be sure that it was, in fact, the correct person who was there. Couldn't being quite sure of someone's identity be another reason for asking for faces not to be covered in court?