New Delhi: Sharia law would help achieve social cohesion in Britain, says the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop Rowen Williams's controversial remarks were made during an address on civil and religious law in London on Thursday.
Some Muslim groups welcomed Williams’s unexpected comments, but the government distanced itself from them, saying it was out of the question that principles of sharia could be used in British civil courts.
Williams, speaking to the BBC, said other religions enjoyed tolerance of their laws in Britain and he called for a "constructive accommodation" with Muslim practice in areas such as marital disputes.
In response, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office said: "There are instances where the government has made changes in regulations, for example to include sharia-compliant mortgage products, but in general terms, sharia law cannot be used as a justification for committing breaches of English law, nor can the principle of sharia law be used in a civilian court."
"The prime minister is clear that, in Britain, British laws based on British values will apply," a spokesperson said.
Sharia is the body of Islamic religious law based on the Qur'an, the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions, and rulings of Islamic scholars. It covers issues including worship, commercial dealings and marriage.
The issue of integrating the country's 1.8 million Muslims has been widely debated since July 2005, when four British Islamists killed 52 in transit suicide bombings.
(With agency inputs)
Comments
0 comment