Shariah Law in Britain as told to the New York Times

The New York Times had an article today on how Shariah law is being implemented in Britain, primarily in cases of divorce and inheritance. Women who want to get along with family members and be considered Muslim are being pressured to allow these Shariah courts to decide cases, although Islamic law does not grant equal rights to women.

Women who are being physically abused are being encouraged to stay with their husbands and women who would get an equal share of the inheritance under British law are accepting the one third share assigned to women.

“We do not want to give the impression that Muslims are an isolated community seeking a separate legal system in this country,” said Shahid Raza, who a“We are not asking for criminal Shariah law — chopping of hands or stoning to death,” he continued.

“Ninety-nine percent of our cases are divorce cases in which women are seeking relief. We are helping women. We are doing a service.”

So why are ninety-nine percent divorce cases in which women are seeking relief? Because:

Under some interpretations of Islamic law, a woman needs the blessing of a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence to be divorced, while a man can simply say three times that he is divorcing his wife.

Sounds like a scam to me. Are these women paying these "Islamic scholars" for this "service"?

The article is written to emphasize that if a woman can get her father to support her position ... then the decision may swing her way. Great. Men don't need the courts to get a divorce, men get a larger share of the inheritance and their voices count more in court.

Here's the link to the New York Times article.