Bosnian Islamic head wants shari'ah as part of constitution
BBC Monitoring Europe (Political) - June 5, 2009, Friday

Excerpt from report by Zoran Kresic: "Reis Ceric demands that shari'ah becomes part of Constitution"] posted on website of Bosnian edition of Croatian daily Vecernji list, on 5 June

A speech by the head of the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Hercegovina, Mustafa Ceric, in which he argued that shari'ah should be institutionalized as an integral part of the Muslim rights has caused numerous reactions, above all regarding the debate about constitutional changes in the country which should be taking place under the auspices of the Prud three [leaders of the three main ethnic parties: Sulejman Tihic, Milorad Dodik and Dragan Covic].

"In line with Constitution"

"Shari'ah is a moral code for Muslims, which prompts them to do good and avoid evil. Not just that this is not contrary to the state constitution, whose aim is to ensure the rights of all people regardless of religion and nation and to ensure peace and safety at home, work and street. [sentence as received]

"It is not that important how we shall call the constitution, what matters is that the constitution guarantees, protects and nurtures values without which there can be no coexistence between peoples and nations," Ceric said during a lecture entitled "Shari'ah and Muslim Social Response in Europe" held at the Catholic Academy in Berlin.

Reis Ceric said "in principle" that shari'ah is not a state constitution, but he linked his argument in favour for turning the religious code of conduct for Muslims into the highest legal act in the state with the suffering of Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims] in Srebrenica!

"The most important thing for the victims of the genocide in Bosnia-Hercegovina was to survive. That is why fears spreading across Europe are groundless since there was no shari'ah rule in Srebrenica," the head of the Islamic community stressed.

Continuation of Policy

This is a continuation of thinking of the head of the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Hercegovina, who earlier advocated that all Muslims in Europe should have a single political and religious leader. Initiatives like this have been advocated by a section of the Bosniak politicians in B-H earlier. Among the most serious ones is the one voiced in the writings of the late Bosniak leader Alija Izetbegovic, who spoke openly about the Muslim issue through his Islamic Declaration. [passage omitted: shari'ah with roots in Koran]

More on the topic

Shari'ah differs drastically in many paragraphs from the laws in force in western countries, even in countries where the Muslims are in majority.

1. According to shari'ah, women are not allowed to drive cars. Women in Saudi Arabia were recently signing a petition calling for this ruling to be revoked, but there has not been any reaction.

2. Shari'ah strictly bans make up for women.

3. Shari'ah bans men from touching women, unless they are related to them. Punishments for violation of this prescription are drastic.

4. According to shari'ah, Muslim women are strictly banned from marrying someone who is not of their faith. Their husband must be a Muslim.

5. Shari'ah still envisages death by stoning. This sentence is used frequently in Iran. Apart from Iran, several other mainly Middle Eastern countries use these legal prescriptions. Lately mainly African countries, such as Somalia, are introducing shari'ah.

Source: Vecernji list website (Bosnia-Hercegovina edition), Zagreb, in Croatian 5 Jun 09
Posted for Fair Use only.