Can Muslims live as good American citizens?

There are more than 8 million Muslim believers who live in America. Some seem obvious because of dress or facial features. Most blend into the every day American scene. There is no question that a devout Muslim believer sees life through a different lens than does a European Caucasian who has been raised in one of the versions of American Christianity. A small group of Americans are attempting to use aspects of the Muslim faith to create political panic. Their fear message may be well intended over concern for the safety and wellbeing of our nation, or it may be deeply sinister. They speak and write with great certainty.

The message is straightforward. Muslims are attempting to take control of America through the establishment of Sharia law in our court system. I do not share their concern. To understand what is going on, we need to ask what is Sharia law?

The word” sharia” is a great expression. In Arabic it means “the path to a watering hole.” In more explicit words, sharia is the Muslim’s code for living. The details are spelled out in the holy book of Islam, the Quran. By tradition, the Quran was given to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel in the seventh century CE. In many ways the Quran is similar to the Torah of Jews and the Christian’s New Testament. They all cover a wide range of topics and they all at times become very particular in their instructions about the way people should live. All have instructions that are kind, loving and compassionate. All have passages that are brutal, bloody and morally offensive. Those who are shouting about the imminent dangers of Sharia law make the case that Sharia law is especially brutal and morally offensive.

But Sharia law is more than words from the Quran. As a holy book written in an ancient time, in an ancient place and in an ancient culture it demands interpretation in every new circumstance. The history of Islam reveals the phenomenon of changing interpretations of Sharia. Islamic people have been vicious warriors and they have been peaceful neighbors. The social customs of some Muslims have been rigid and uncompromising. Other Muslims have been very accommodating to changing cultures and customs. Today there is an incredible number of Muslim groups and tribes. Each has its own way of interpreting Sharia law.

They all claim to live by Sharia law. Today, Sharia law has come to include the collected wisdom of Muslims. Sharia law has expanded into matters of social custom and family life about which Muhammad never dreamed and the Quran never anticipated.

It is the very same phenomenon that is found among Jews and Christians. We range from conservative to liberal and from fundamentalist rigidity to a range of nonconforming beliefs. When I take a closer look at the dynamics of Muslim, Jew and Christian, I do not see any essential difference in the way these great faiths are driven to diversity.

Are there Muslims who want Sharia law to be the law of their nation? Certainly. Democracy has never been a part of nations dominated by Islam. The only ideal that Muslim people have had has been hierarchical government in which some form of Sharia law was the law of both religious people and the state. In the United States, the closest comparison is found among Christians who want the Ten Commandments posted in courthouses and who argue that the nation was founded on Christian principles and was intended to be a Christian nation. Christian Fundamentalists and Muslim Fundamentalists are two peas in a pod. They only disagree about which religion should be the dominant force in public life.

As I have followed the growing warnings about Sharia law, I have rejoiced once again that we have our Constitution’s First Amendment. The First Amendment bars any laws that might aid in the establishment of religion or that prohibit the free exercise of religion.

In the present discussions, the vocal opponents of Sharia law are quick to cite court cases in which Sharia law has been an issue. The cases they cite are a tiny, tiny number compared to the enormous volume of court procedures that take place every day in America. Almost all the cases they cite involve domestic and family issues. The rules followed by judges in such cases are well established. In no case has Sharia law been established. In some instances social custom related to Sharia law has been allowed to be a factor in the court’s decision. Judges and courts have handled cases involving Sharia law responsibly, fairly and with great deference to First Amendment requirements.

The benefits of diversity in our nation have been greatly underestimated. The United States has thrived on diversity. We need to welcome our growing number of citizens who have embraced the Muslim faith. They will be our best neighbors when we welcome them as prized neighbors.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

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