Can you answer my questions about Sharia law?
"a sin for a woman to drive a car." Women driving is not a sin in Islam , it is just the law in Saudi Arabia (which is not Sharia law). Any way I don't see how some answeres here can't seem to answer this without attacking Saudi Arabia. Just answer with facts & no need to attack any body without knowing what were the circumstances for that law. The reply quoted by pero some how suggests "thousands" of Saudi women are killed in driving accidents, I never heard that. Your question: Sharia law is to be observed by Muslims not non-believers. Just like Messianic law is for Jews , but I don't see any objecting to Jews following it, because the law in the Torah is very similar to Islam , most of the punishments are the same. But these are worldly punishment for the believers, so that they may be forgiven in the hereafter. As for the unbelievers they don't follow the law any way , but they will still be punished by God , not for not following the law, but rather for disbelief , and that carries an eternal punishment , not a legal punishment which is temporary. So the Sharia penal code has nothing to do with how Allah will judge disbelievers
Is Sharia law amendable?
Of course it is amendable. But the amendment has to be in line with Islamic principles.Sharia is a way of life for the Muslims. How to pray, how to greet strangers, how to eat etc etc is all part of the Sharia. So of course, the interpretation of it changes from time to time and from place to place.Let me give you a simple example:During Hajj, the pilgrims are supposed to spend a day within the boundaries of Mina, which is a place near Mecca. The boundaries of Mina have been set from time of the Prophet. However, the number of pilgrims has grown so much that it was not possible for all of them to stay in Mina for a day. So the jurists got together and decided that the limits of Mina would be made bigger so that more pilgrims could be accomodated.As can be seen from the above picture, that signboard shows the boundaries of Mina as they were earlier. The arrow pointing to the direction from which Mina was supposed to start but as can be seen in the picture, the pilgrim tents have crossed the boundary of Mina and stretch further down the road.So yes, the Sharia can be amended as long as it is done as per Islamic principles.In the end, Allah knows best. I hope this helps.
Why did Islam ban eating pork?
A reprint and update of an answer I gave earlier:First, what is irrelevant:The health concerns are irrelevant. Pork is no less healthy than any other meat. This should be evident by the fact that pork eating cultures, as in East Asia, West Africa, the Pacific, and Latin America, do not have problems from "pork diseases". In fact, the Han Chinese, who certainly consume pork, are the world's largest ethnic group. They've flourished. Sure you can get very sick from uncooked pork. Uncooked chicken will kill you faster. Copraphagia is irrelevant. Pigs will eat feces with a high nutritional content when they must, to survive. So will rabbits. Rabbits are Halal, so the "Pigs eat Feces" answer is false. There is a very obvious answer. Water.Why would two religions, Islam and Judaism, hold pork in such low esteem?Consider their origins in nomadic desert culture. Pigs, unlike goats, consume a lot of water. Note the one thing the world's "pig eaters" have in common: Wet climates.Second, pigs "wallow". When they find a watering hole they don't just walk up and drink, they jump in and roll.To the desert cultures, water holes were virtually sacred places. Consider how you might react if you belonged to a tribe of goat herders, let's say in 2000 BC, and you first encountered, on the fringe of your travels, a tribe of pig farmers. There you are... you are thirsty, your animals are thirsty and you have been looking for a good water source, and you cross the hill, and there is a little river, with some strange people and their strange animals. And you bring your goats to the water, and the pig farmer brings his pigs. And then the pigs start to do what pigs naturally do. Mud splashes everywhere. The water - precious stuff of life - turns brown. Would you return to your tribe and tell them of your encounter with the most disgusting, filthy, sickening creatures in the world? Probably.A pig consumes more water than a human. If you are living in a desert where water defines life, every pig you choose to sustain means 1.25 humans you are not sustaining. Our ancestors were not stupid. If a desert herdsman looked at pigs drinking, he would be appalled by their water consumption, compared to his goats. Such gluttons! Is it any surprise that "desert wisdom" would include: "Pigs are filthy gluttons! We don't eat them, and never will!"
What are the punishments for drinking alcohol in Islam?
As I have already said in one of my past answers, the alcohol (wine) before it became a great sin, passed through four (4) important steps before becoming illicit- haram -, and above all do not believe that Allah (جل جلاله) forbade it only in the Quran, it was subject to ban long before it, in the old scriptures.Drinking alcohol is definitely prohibited in ( 5:90 ).In Islam, it refers to "the mother of evils", because in reality someone who drinks a lot of wine and its derivatives,loses many of his intellectual faculties, for lack of timidity he goes so far as to commit many things forbidden by the Islamic religion.Causing evil to others (even for a peaceful animal,a prostitute was forgiven by Allah(جل جلاله) for giving a drink -water,not wine- to a dog dying of thirst)) is banished by Islam, and this is one of the causes of its ban.What's if a Muslim drink wine ?The prophet (ﷺ) said: Who drinks alcohol will have his prayers lacking for forty (40) days. If he repents and ask Allah for forgiveness,He will forgive him. If he keeps doing it after his fourth repentance then Allah will make him to drink the essence of a deadly poison, he surely will deserve that. Then they asked him: O’ Mohammad (ﷺ) what is the essence of the deadly poison? He (ﷺ) replied: It is the poison that is in the body of the occupiers of hell. Who would drink alcohol since very young age without considering what is halal and what haram is, then Allah will make him drink the poison which is from the body of the hell’s occupiers, and he would deserve that.Now, going to see punishment side in Islam, for the one who drinks it in public (to spy the privacy of someone is forbidden).However the punishment is set through the prophet’s (ﷺ) application and Hadith. The prophet (ﷺ) and Abu-bakr (رضي الله عنه) has punished the violators with 40 times beating with a stick. During the time of Omar (رضي الله عنه) when alcohol drinkers were getting more and more he consulted some of the Ummah and decided to incrise the punishment of the violators with 80 beatings with a stick which is the lightest form of punishment (Islam call it haad). (Hadith narrated by Ahmed,and Darami).Thank you for reading it!
With 6 nations being Islamic states, and an additional 17 having Islam as the official state religion...?
As Salaam Alaikum Shari'ah Law can be tricky Especially on a national level. Afghanistan and Somalia both tried to establish shari'ah with both feeling backlash from external forces and within their own countries. its not just establishing it thats the problem. its implementing to the masses. the best you can hope for today is to live in a country where you can practice your religion freely without any problems.
Am I still a Muslim if I don't believe and agree with Islam's teaching? I still believe in one God though. Is it an apostasy?
Sir, by definition, you are not a muslim if you dont follow the 5 pillars and declare Muhammed as the messenger Allah. You said you "don't believe and agree with islam's teachings." It is not possible to believe in one part of islam and disbelieve in another at the same time because they are all connected. The encyclopedia's definition states a Muslim (Arabic, 'one who submits') is a Follower or believer in Islam. Based on your confessions, it is not possible to follow the basic tenets of Islam if you "don't believe and agree with Islam's teaching"I have seen few answers here by muslims who state "you are still muslim" but they need to confirm this answer by providing quranic scriptures that proves " if I don't believe and agree with Islam's teaching" I am still a muslim. Dear muslims: Where in the Quran or Hadith does it state that "one who does NOT submit" is still a muslim? Pray tell. Thanks.Dear Sir/OP: I think because you grew up in muslim background your concept of wrong and right is still influenced by Islam. Your decision making and difference between moral and immoral is still influenced by your islamic upbringing. You can continue to follow what you believe in and live a life that is righteous, without losing faith in God. There is nothing wrong about this. Because you have not converted to another religion, chosen a secular life, or completely reject everything in Islam, it is not apostasy. According to Islam, I have committed apostasy. I grew up in a muslim home but I don't believe in Muhammed's teachings and some other Islamic teachings. I do believe in God and I do believe in the Last Day and heaven and hell. I believe in the angels and the demons and Satan. I still believe I should not worship idols, kill, cheat, lie, disrespect my parents. But I don't follow the 5 pillars. I follow a different religion which makes me an apostate. Therefore: According to islam, one who submits is a muslim, but if you haven't converted to another religion it is not apostasy. Your family or any muslim are not 'islamically justified' to punish you because... al baqara 256 - "there is no compulsion in the religion"
Is it possible to adopt a Syrian refugee orphan?
Well, you say a Syrian REFUGEE orphan. So you're talking about an orphan who is in a neighbouring country? I can only imagine how complex it would be to adopt a displaced child in a foreign land where they don't have citizenship. But anyway, not all predominately Muslim nations in the Middle East have Sharia legal systems (e.g. Lebanon and Turkey don't, both neighbours of Syria). That aside, I wouldn't expect a definitive answer from anyone here (but who knows?) I'd suggest contacting relevant charities and NGOs. E.g. UNICEF, Save the Children, Doctors without Borders--surely someone could point you in the right direction. Also, see the below document, which outlines the United Nation's policy on adopting refugees.