Sharing the true values of Sharia

As shown above, the ethics of Sharia do not pose a problem for Australia. Further, Sharia liturgy has been practised in Australia for over a century. Indeed, Australia law allows a number of religious legal systems (such as Jewish religious law) to operate in the contexts of family law, estates and other areas.

Christ, recognised as Messiah by Muslims, castigated rabbis of his time who followed the letter but ignored the spirit of sacred law. Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed brought Sharia as the outer manifestation of religious values. He also brought an inner manifestation, which has been given a variety of labels by Muslims but which is commonly known in the West as Sufism.

A tiny minority of Muslims seek to establish Sharia across the world without Sufism. They are the source of virtually all terrorist groups in the Muslim world. Their theology is regarded by mainstream Muslims as isolationist and fringe. They distort Sharia by imposing it on people without the inner discipline of Sufism. They are openly hostile to Sufi tradition.

These people seek to destroy Islam from within. They are arguably more of a threat to Muslims than non-Muslims. Hence, the majority of their victims are Muslims. Mr Costello would like to see such people leave Australia. Most Muslims, on the other hand, would prefer to see these people leave our planet. These people distort our perceptions about Sharia. Most Australians regard Sharia as purely consisting of draconian medieval punishments. Mr Costello’s own inaccurate comments about Sharia are a manifestation of distorted perceptions. Instead of criticising inevitable and understandable ignorance, Muslim leaders need to educate the community about their faith and values.

The Koran teaches that when giving charity, give of things you value. Australians have followed this Koranic teaching by sharing with Muslim migrants so much they value - wealth, jobs, education and greater liberty to practise Islam than exists in most Muslim countries. Muslims too must share what they treasure - their religious and ethical values. If Aussie Muslims do not share their faith with their countrymen, how can they blame the rest of Australia for not understanding them?