Sharia 101: Articulating Muslim American perspectives on Sharia

Silence is not an option!

Everyone else is talking about Sharia. It’s about time we did!

Muslims live Sharia everyday when we pray, fast, earn honestly, offer charity, eat Halal, take care of our families and Masjids, as well as serve our communities. However, the term “Sharia” is fast becoming a term of hate at the hands of Islamophobes to attack Islam. This has dangerous, far-reaching consequences for American Muslims which have already begun.

The Challenge

Three states have passed anti Sharia-laws since 2010 and now, 17 others are discussing similar bills. Meanwhile, the powerful Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is suggesting there should be a federal law banning Sharia altogether. Most other Republican candidates are supporting his position.

While the U.S. Supreme Court recognized Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, among the eighteen greatest lawgivers of the world in 1935, a majority of Americans are confused about Sharia and do not understand what it is.

Real Life Implications

The real life implications are many for Muslims. Banning Sharia will directly impact Muslim marriages, divorces, Islamic financing, and mediation. Banning Sharia is like banning Jewish Halakha practiced by many Jews in America. But very few people are articulating Muslim perspectives on Sharia.

Misunderstanding and misinformation about Sharia, as well as Islamophobia in general, is fueled not just by television. The internet has increased the power of hate and misunderstanding several thousand-fold. Google the word “Sharia” and you will find false, negative, and highly anti-Islamic material among the top search results.

Shaikh Google Educating Our Children

A good number of those looking for answers online are our own Muslim children. About 95% of them are not connected with a Muslim school or a Masjid. Children spend nearly 55 hours a week consuming media.

The number one place most people turn to learn about an issue is the Internet. The text of Alabama’s anti-Sharia bill was actually lifted right from a website.

When we typed in the word “Sharia” on Google, here are some of the first results that showed up:

• Creeping Sharia
• 10 reasons no one should follow Sharia
• Muslim Women against Sharia
• Muslims against Sharia

All of these sites are anti-Islamic. When you search for images or videos about “Sharia”, once again, all of the results are anti-Muslim.

Our neighbors, our children, our interfaith partners, including those legislators who are opposing anti-Sharia bills, and even the media, are looking for balanced information on Sharia and Muslim perspectives, but they are not finding this online or anywhere else.

The Response

Sound Vision has launched a major campaign to develop and provide Muslim perspectives on Sharia set to launch in the fall of 2011 insha Allah.

The aim is to establish a major web portal, Sharia101.org, that will become a repository of accurate, accessible, concise, as well as in-depth information about Sharia. The site will feature not only articles, but short videos, and images as well. The primary audiences are not just non-Muslims, many of whom are being fed hatred and propaganda against Islamic practices, but also, young American Muslims, confused and influenced by the plethora of negative material easily available about Sharia.

We are using multiple SEO techniques to make Sharia101.org the top website among search results for the word “Sharia”. We also intend to use Facebook and Twitter to promote the website and more importantly, share the critical information it will offer to a larger, and primarily younger audience.

We also plan to produce a short book on Sharia and brochures for free distribution. They will offer explanation about Sharia to our interfaith partners and other visitors to mosques and Islamic centers. They can also be a resource in Islamic fulltime and weekend school classes, as well as in study circles. Three brochures about Sharia are available right now at Sound Vision to be shared with our neighbors.

Our Very Survival is at Stake

We cannot allow our way of eating, praying, fasting, giving in charity, marriage, doing business, and more, all part of Sharia, to be demonized any longer. We cannot afford to be silent about the extreme misinformation that is being fed to our non-Muslim neighbors about our way of life. Our very future as Muslims on this continent depends on us standing up today to ensure that Islam remains a vibrant part of America. The Sharia 101 project will be a critical tool to foster a better understanding of Sharia, and Islam and Muslims in general. This project is also crucial to safeguard the independence of all religions from the interference of the state.

Sound Vision Needs Your Support for this Project

Sound Vision is in a unique position to help the community with the Sharia 101 project because we have been developing Islamic content for the Muslim community and our neighbors for over 25 years. 

Using our invaluable connections with Islamic scholars, lawyers, journalists and producers, we have developed a team to accomplish the first phase of the Sharia 101 project within a few months. 

However, this team of professionals can only assist the community if we raise the resources required for this work.

Please donate today

This project is Zakatable and Tax deductible.

Sound Vision is a not for profit Waqf lillah.

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Sound Vision Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax deductible. Our US Federal Tax ID number is 36-4100396.

"Ground Zero Mosque Protesters 12" by David Shankbone from USA - Ground Zero Mosque Protesters. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ground_Zero_Mosque_Protesters_12.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Ground_Zero_Mosque_Protesters_12.jpg