Reflections and Sharia Law
From journal entries……..mostly ramblings and possibly some repetitions. No one is reading this anyway, so I’m not sure why I’m explaining……..
Written in early September –
My experience was not Africa, nor even Sudan. It was the Dinka experience in a part of South Sudan, but it seems to me that there is an African consciousness, especially a sub-Saharn African consciousness. It is a consciousness born out of common experiences – colonialism by white Europeans, being black in a white world or at least a world in which whites dominate (thought whites are a minority in the world), civil wars, dictators, corruption, disease, poverty, weather, famine, pollution, artificial borders drawn without consideration of tribe, race, or religion or some sort of combination in line with ordering at a Chinese restaurant.
Though on such a different level, the sense of resignation reminds me of the psyches Red Sox, Cubs and Brooklyn Dodger fans who lived on hope for the next year – and when things were going well expected something to go wrong.
There is an accepted level of corruption. There is also an almost immunity to death – a numbness from years of fighting. There is a thin line between the military and the government. There is one letter separating the two – SPLA/SPLM (Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army/Movement). This is the conflict in the mind between pride and helplessness – the latter leading to an attitude that they must wait for the NGO’s to do something. There is resignation that there will be corruption – yes, I repeat myself.
There is a certain love for what the West can offer their children, yet the fear of what it can bring back. Remember, the men have a good thing going here – no cooking, cleaning, or bringing up the kids. Yet, does this division of labor between the sexes go with the desire for progress? Does anyone really know what they mean by “progress?” And if they do, is it really worth it?
They are centuries behind and trying to make a technological, social, and personal leap – often skipping the steps in between (for example: land lines for phones or broadcast TV), as well as jumping on any “new” thing that is offered to them at an affordable price without pondering the consequences – or learning form our mistakes. Will Africa become the dumping ground for antiquated technologies or products which can no longer be sold in the West because they have been proven to be harmful or dangerous? Is Africa the promised land for those who have run afoul of the FDA or the EPA? With few regulations in place, investors can open up factories that spew black smoke into the sky and pour poisons into the rivers. It seems so logical that Africa should embrace clean technologies and have only the most energy efficient factories built, but the exact opposite is happening. It took until this past year to finally phase out leaded gas – something we did decades ago.
Okay, was I before this modernization rant? Oh yeah:
There is a certain love for what the West can offer their children who have gone and lived abroad, yet there is also a fear of what they will bring back. Will they except the women’s expectations of equal treatment or of monogamy?
And does anyone ask the question – will they be happier? Will they opt for IPods or hospitals? Cable TV or schools? Will any of these advances lead to better nutrition or peace? Who is determining the priorities?
Sharia Law
Those who want to impose Sharia law feel that they have the answers to these questions. They believe that the Western influence and modernization is taking the country down an evil path. They also believe that their view is the only correct view. It sounds insane at first, if one considers how Sharia Law is implemented (see below for a definition and description), but can it be that they truly believe that putting these restrictions on the people of Sudan is truly necessary to save them from hell?
When I was in the Israeli army (I was drafted in 1989 and served 4 months in the Gaza Strip), I developed a friendship with a man who I would have never spoken with in another setting. Eliezer was a right-wing rabbi of a West Bank Jewish settlement. During basic training, he slept in the cot next to me and after a long day, we would hug our M-16’s (having your weapon stolen was punishable by 6 years in prison) and discuss the political situation in Israel. At that time, the first Intifada had begun and I was on the political left – believing in a two-state solution. I firmly believed, and still do, that the Palestinians must have a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but let’s leave that discussion for another time.
Eliezer and I could not agree on anything. He believed that the Bible was dictated by God and that it was written that Greater Israel included not only the West Bank, but Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan as well. I have had discussions with right-wingers before and most have not turned out very nicely. The argument can be reasonable until we reach a certain point where the other person’s eyes become glazed over and they simply declare that what they believe is right because God said it was. There was no point in continuing the discussion at that point. But with Eliezer, it was different. I got to know him and saw that he was such a gentle and loving soul.. He made me understand that we were both aiming for the same thing – peace in the Middle East and that we both genuinely believed with our hearts that our solution was the correct path to take. A political opinion which I had always seen as irrational and fanatical began to make sense to me. I did not agree with any more than I did before, but I understood where he was coming from. It was not from a militaristic or imperialist point of view, but from love. He truly believed that only when Jews will inhabit (or occupy) the Greater Land of Israel will there be peace. That only when there is a religious (as opposed to the current secular) government in place will the Messiah come. He truly believed that his beliefs would save me and the rest of the world.
Once again, the power of religion. The power of belief in God.
Though I do not believe that the political leadership’s goal of imposing Sharia Law is genuinely a humanitarian venture, I do feel that there are many Muslims who believe that the only way to save the world from soulless consumerism and spiritual emptiness is by embracing the words of the Prophet Mohammed and living life according to the law as prescribed in the Koran.
I simply try to understand. I recently came across an interesting observation in the Introduction of Jessica Stern’s fascinating book: “Why Religious Militants Kill – Terror in the Name of God.” She writes: “It is important to point out that empathy does not necessarily imply sympathy. To empathize is ‘to understand and to share the feelings of another,’ without necessarily having feeling of pity or sorrow for their misfortunes, agreeing with their sentiment or opinions, or having a favorable attitude toward them – the feelings that define sympathy.
What is Sharia Law?
Sharia law is the traditional Islamic law and moral code that prescribes how Muslims should conduct their lives. Its scope is quite broad – actually it’s beyond broad and more in the range of all-encompassing – covering the criminal justice system, financial institutions, and almost every aspect of one’s personal behavior. Sharia means “the way” in Arabic and it is the expression of God’s will according to Muslim belief.
Pictured on left: Dr. Hassan 'Abd Allah al-Turabi commonly called Hassan al-Turabi is a religious and political leader in Sudan, a strong proponent of Sharia Law.
Strict interpretation of Sharia law includes stoning women to death for bearing a child out of wedlock or any fornication-related crime, amputations of limbs for theft, and lashing for drinking alcohol. Sharia law stipulates that men and women must dress modestly, refrain from drinking alcohol, and pray five times per day. Banks are prohibited from charging interest.
Each country’s degree of implementations varies, with some countries only following certain aspects of Sharia. Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afganistan (during the Taliban era) were in the strict-interpretation school of thinking and Sharia was the supreme law of the land.
The laws often favor men. For example, if a woman is raped – and especially if she becomes pregnant - she can be subject to stoning unless she can provide four witnesses to the rape.
Human rights organizations all over the world have urged that Sharia law be interpreted in a manner that is in accordance with international human rights standards and the conventions of international law. This has not been easy to enforce.
Written in early September –
My experience was not Africa, nor even Sudan. It was the Dinka experience in a part of South Sudan, but it seems to me that there is an African consciousness, especially a sub-Saharn African consciousness. It is a consciousness born out of common experiences – colonialism by white Europeans, being black in a white world or at least a world in which whites dominate (thought whites are a minority in the world), civil wars, dictators, corruption, disease, poverty, weather, famine, pollution, artificial borders drawn without consideration of tribe, race, or religion or some sort of combination in line with ordering at a Chinese restaurant.
Though on such a different level, the sense of resignation reminds me of the psyches Red Sox, Cubs and Brooklyn Dodger fans who lived on hope for the next year – and when things were going well expected something to go wrong.
There is an accepted level of corruption. There is also an almost immunity to death – a numbness from years of fighting. There is a thin line between the military and the government. There is one letter separating the two – SPLA/SPLM (Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army/Movement). This is the conflict in the mind between pride and helplessness – the latter leading to an attitude that they must wait for the NGO’s to do something. There is resignation that there will be corruption – yes, I repeat myself.
There is a certain love for what the West can offer their children, yet the fear of what it can bring back. Remember, the men have a good thing going here – no cooking, cleaning, or bringing up the kids. Yet, does this division of labor between the sexes go with the desire for progress? Does anyone really know what they mean by “progress?” And if they do, is it really worth it?
They are centuries behind and trying to make a technological, social, and personal leap – often skipping the steps in between (for example: land lines for phones or broadcast TV), as well as jumping on any “new” thing that is offered to them at an affordable price without pondering the consequences – or learning form our mistakes. Will Africa become the dumping ground for antiquated technologies or products which can no longer be sold in the West because they have been proven to be harmful or dangerous? Is Africa the promised land for those who have run afoul of the FDA or the EPA? With few regulations in place, investors can open up factories that spew black smoke into the sky and pour poisons into the rivers. It seems so logical that Africa should embrace clean technologies and have only the most energy efficient factories built, but the exact opposite is happening. It took until this past year to finally phase out leaded gas – something we did decades ago.
Okay, was I before this modernization rant? Oh yeah:
There is a certain love for what the West can offer their children who have gone and lived abroad, yet there is also a fear of what they will bring back. Will they except the women’s expectations of equal treatment or of monogamy?
And does anyone ask the question – will they be happier? Will they opt for IPods or hospitals? Cable TV or schools? Will any of these advances lead to better nutrition or peace? Who is determining the priorities?
Sharia Law
Those who want to impose Sharia law feel that they have the answers to these questions. They believe that the Western influence and modernization is taking the country down an evil path. They also believe that their view is the only correct view. It sounds insane at first, if one considers how Sharia Law is implemented (see below for a definition and description), but can it be that they truly believe that putting these restrictions on the people of Sudan is truly necessary to save them from hell?
When I was in the Israeli army (I was drafted in 1989 and served 4 months in the Gaza Strip), I developed a friendship with a man who I would have never spoken with in another setting. Eliezer was a right-wing rabbi of a West Bank Jewish settlement. During basic training, he slept in the cot next to me and after a long day, we would hug our M-16’s (having your weapon stolen was punishable by 6 years in prison) and discuss the political situation in Israel. At that time, the first Intifada had begun and I was on the political left – believing in a two-state solution. I firmly believed, and still do, that the Palestinians must have a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but let’s leave that discussion for another time.
Eliezer and I could not agree on anything. He believed that the Bible was dictated by God and that it was written that Greater Israel included not only the West Bank, but Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan as well. I have had discussions with right-wingers before and most have not turned out very nicely. The argument can be reasonable until we reach a certain point where the other person’s eyes become glazed over and they simply declare that what they believe is right because God said it was. There was no point in continuing the discussion at that point. But with Eliezer, it was different. I got to know him and saw that he was such a gentle and loving soul.. He made me understand that we were both aiming for the same thing – peace in the Middle East and that we both genuinely believed with our hearts that our solution was the correct path to take. A political opinion which I had always seen as irrational and fanatical began to make sense to me. I did not agree with any more than I did before, but I understood where he was coming from. It was not from a militaristic or imperialist point of view, but from love. He truly believed that only when Jews will inhabit (or occupy) the Greater Land of Israel will there be peace. That only when there is a religious (as opposed to the current secular) government in place will the Messiah come. He truly believed that his beliefs would save me and the rest of the world.
Once again, the power of religion. The power of belief in God.
Though I do not believe that the political leadership’s goal of imposing Sharia Law is genuinely a humanitarian venture, I do feel that there are many Muslims who believe that the only way to save the world from soulless consumerism and spiritual emptiness is by embracing the words of the Prophet Mohammed and living life according to the law as prescribed in the Koran.
I simply try to understand. I recently came across an interesting observation in the Introduction of Jessica Stern’s fascinating book: “Why Religious Militants Kill – Terror in the Name of God.” She writes: “It is important to point out that empathy does not necessarily imply sympathy. To empathize is ‘to understand and to share the feelings of another,’ without necessarily having feeling of pity or sorrow for their misfortunes, agreeing with their sentiment or opinions, or having a favorable attitude toward them – the feelings that define sympathy.
What is Sharia Law?
Sharia law is the traditional Islamic law and moral code that prescribes how Muslims should conduct their lives. Its scope is quite broad – actually it’s beyond broad and more in the range of all-encompassing – covering the criminal justice system, financial institutions, and almost every aspect of one’s personal behavior. Sharia means “the way” in Arabic and it is the expression of God’s will according to Muslim belief.
Pictured on left: Dr. Hassan 'Abd Allah al-Turabi commonly called Hassan al-Turabi is a religious and political leader in Sudan, a strong proponent of Sharia Law. Strict interpretation of Sharia law includes stoning women to death for bearing a child out of wedlock or any fornication-related crime, amputations of limbs for theft, and lashing for drinking alcohol. Sharia law stipulates that men and women must dress modestly, refrain from drinking alcohol, and pray five times per day. Banks are prohibited from charging interest.
Each country’s degree of implementations varies, with some countries only following certain aspects of Sharia. Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afganistan (during the Taliban era) were in the strict-interpretation school of thinking and Sharia was the supreme law of the land.
The laws often favor men. For example, if a woman is raped – and especially if she becomes pregnant - she can be subject to stoning unless she can provide four witnesses to the rape.
Human rights organizations all over the world have urged that Sharia law be interpreted in a manner that is in accordance with international human rights standards and the conventions of international law. This has not been easy to enforce.
posted by Charly at 12:42 PM
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