Sharia Law in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sharia Law in Islam - Essay Example Moreover, they argue that the set of rules given in Sharia are not necessarily extremists and that there are positive reasons behind them. This paper contains some Sharia-opposing charges from a modern point of view, which are retaliated by Sharia-supporting facts taken from various sources (Maqsood; Cohen; Ali). One of the main criticisms of Sharia is the extremism regarding punishment for those who have sinned. Many believe that it is inhumane to cut off the hands of thieves or to throw stones at those who have committed adultery. They prefer giving such sinners sentences to prison or some other forms of legal punishments, instead of such brutal acts of violence. However, those who believe this are not well informed about the exact Sharia law concerning such offenders. According to Sharia, such measures are usually the only extreme penalty taken (if the offender’s hand is cut off, no other penalty will be given to him/her). Some Muslims even feel that this punishment is justified because they feel more sympathy for the victims of theft, rather than the thief. However, Sharia is not so strict, due to the fact that this punishment is not given to those stealers who prove that they have stolen only because they were in dire need. Although cutting the hands of the offender might seem har sh, Muslims believe that this measure prevents further such acts from happening. The Middle East, where Sharia is mostly practiced, does not contain one-handed people. This shows how effective such a punishment is in warning potential thieves, and why Sharia is considered so important in Islam (Maqsood). Another charge brought against Sharia is the punishment given to women who have had an illicit affair. For instance, there was a case of a woman in Nigeria who was in danger of being stoned by angry villagers because she was accused of adultery.However, after being taken into custody and judged by Sharia law, she was given a chance to appeal and explain herself.