With his long, flowing white beard and black turban, Sufi Muhammad cut an imposing figure as he walked through the crowds in Mingora town, north-west Pakistan yesterday. Tribesmen and mullahs jostled to be at his side, then raised him aloft. All around, black-and-white flags fluttered - flags of the religious group founded by Muhammad, the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammadi.

The organisation was banned in 2002 after Muhammad led hundreds of young men across the border to fight alongside the Taliban against the US-led coalition. He was jailed and only freed last year. Yesterday though, Muhammad was hailed as the man who brought peace to Pakistan's Swat region - by securing the official imposition of Islamic law. Muhammad has persuaded the government of Pakistan to agree to the enforcement of sharia for the vast Malakand area, which includes Swat.

Desperate for a respite from violence, thousands turned out in Mingora, Swat's main city, to greet him. A ceasefire was announced by the local Taliban in response to Muhammad's deal, which was unveiled on Monday. And that has made this Islamist something of a local hero. Sweets were distributed in the town as people flocked on to the previously deserted streets. For the first time in months, all the shops opened, the bazaars were busy and even schools suddenly started teaching again.

"We have come out of a nightmare. We are very excited," said Zubair Torwali, a social worker from Swat. "Ordinary people want peace at any cost."

The authorities portrayed it as a political settlement to end the bloodshed. Others see it as the moment of Pakistan's capitulation to the extremists.

Swat slipped out of government control two years ago, and over the last few months it had been an almost total takeover by a fearsome band of Taliban led by Muhammad's estranged son-in-law, Mullah Fazlullah. Under the militants' control, girls schools were closed, women banned from shopping, and public floggings and executions were carried out. The main business in Swat - tourism - was extinguished. For the people there, Sufi Muhammad had managed to get the extremists to lay down their arms in return for the introduction of Islamic courts. In turn, government forces will pull out of active operations in the region

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/18/sufi-muhammad-pakistan

do you guys consider this Islamic?

what exactly do u mean, i mean what aspects of the report are you asking if it is islamic.

The few things that are not islamic is the closing of girls schools and stoppage of women from shopping ( if it is true) those things are not part of the shariah. However the introduction of Shariah for them is a welcome development as that is what the people want and in a democrace the will of the people should be paramount.

I wish other scholars could get involved and soften their extreme stance on girls schools which has no basis in islam but on their culture.

Lagosboy:



I wish other scholars could get involved and soften their extreme stance on girls schools which has no basis in islam but on their culture.

but those scholars claim it's Islamic. who should be believed?

Iran universities has around 65-70% girls compared to boys
Saudi Univerities have separate campuses with thousands of girls studying
UAE has univeristies with also different campuses with thousands of girls studying there
Syria,Egypt,Yemen and every other middle easte countries have women studying extensively.
The muslim countries of Indonesia,Malaysia andeven in Pakistan all have women studying.

It is more than evident that there is no basis for girls not studying in Islam. Aisha the wife of the Prophet was a notable Hadith scholar as thousands of ahadeeth were transmitted through her and men would go to her to learn ahadeeth of the Prophet (SAW).

Islam emphasises female medical practitioners so are they supposed to emerge if women werent allowed to learn. The occurence of this in a particular region showes it is more to do with the culture and not islam. However the introduction of shariah for the is a welcome development as they wish to live in accordance to their faith. The only issue of correct is the girls school which i said earlier.

Where is Bawomolo?

Lagosboy:



Islam emphasises female medical practitioners so are they supposed to emerge if women werent allowed to learn. The occurence of this in a particular region showes it is more to do with the culture and not islam. However the introduction of shariah for the is a welcome development as they wish to live in accordance to their faith. The only issue of correct is the girls school which i said earlier.

why is it a welcome development if it's supposed to be a secular country. You support this law even though it would lead to the discrimination of women?

do Saudi-Arabian women drive?

I have stated categorically that descrimination of women as regards school and not going out is not part of the sharia of islam.

It is a welcome development because the people of the region want it and want to leave their life by it. The pakistani govt also recognises thats the only way to bring peace to the region.

Even Hamid Karzai has stated they wud have to negotiate with the Taliban and probably adopt the law they want.

It is the same way u want a secular law they want shariah law so their wish has to be respected.

I have stated the objections we have and i strongly hope it would be resolved btw Sufi Mohammed and his son in law.

Lagosboy:

I have stated categorically that descrimination of women as regards school and not going out is not part of the sharia of islam.

It is a welcome development because the people of the region want it and want to leave their life by it. The pakistani govt also recognises thats the only way to bring peace to the region.

Even Hamid Karzai has stated they wud have to negotiate with the Taliban and probably adopt the law they want.

It is the same way u want a secular law they want shariah law so their wish has to be respected.

I have stated the objections we have and i strongly hope it would be resolved btw Sufi Mohammed and his son in law.

So accepting the oppression of women is the only way to bring peace in the region? what a shocker.

@Bawomolo: « #5 on: Yesterday at 12:44:47 AM »

why is it a welcome development if it's supposed to be a secular country.

Secularity is actually an act of irreligiousness. A believer should not be irreligious. If Afghanis are muslims, should there be any other rule(s) on them except Islamic rule? For example, I caution myself of things that could be secularly acceptable, but Islamically unacceptable; Interest taking or giving is one of them.

You support this law even though it would lead to the discrimination of women?

A sound Islamic law; Shariah or Sunnah based will not discriminate on women. Please give me any law that discriminates against women and I will show you how far is it from Islam of Muhammad (AS), which his Lord gave him.

do Saudi-Arabian women drive?

And their reason is not rooted in Islam, if we consider that Aisha (RA) rode to the battle ground all by herself. And many of the women companions (RA) rode camels and horses, the mode of transportation of that time. Still a mode of transportation, even now.

Friends and I were talking about this, yesterday. None considered Saudi Arabia as the perfect "Islamic Society!" I will not let my women folks hang around there more than the period of hajj, since arab men, indeed the saudis have no good sexual morality in the Islamic sense of the word!

Secularity is actually an act of irreligiousness. A believer should not be irreligious.

Secularity is an act of religious tolerance and civilization. Gone are the days of theocracy

If Afghanis are muslims, should there be any other rule(s) on them except Islamic rule?

not all Afghans are muslims. Islam can rule your home but not as official government policy.

A sound Islamic law; Shariah or Sunnah based will not discriminate on women. Please give me any law that discriminates against women and I will show you how far is it from Islam of Muhammad

I'm talking about Pakistan's version of Sharia Law not the idealistic one. Countries that have implemented sharia law have high rates of gender inequality.

None considered Saudi Arabia as the perfect "Islamic Society!"

can you name a perfect Islamic Society or are we being idealistic here again.

@Bawomolo: « #9 on: Yesterday at 08:58:30 PM »

Secularity is an act of religious tolerance and civilization. Gone are the days of theocracy

Not true. Religious tolerance and civilization is Islam. Verse 256 of Surah 2 allows people to be who they are, muslim or not.
Civilization as in elevation of human's humanity since we should clearly display God consciousness is Islam in its saying that mankind and all things are not created for nothingness. Then Allah the almighty declares that Jinn and Man, whom He gave "choice of will" are not created but to serve Him.



[Quote]
not all Afghans are muslims. Islam can rule your home but not as official government policy.
[/quote]

People make government. As you know, even "democracy" states government of the people, by the people and for the people. Is the governance of america, even as it tries to run away from the "Christian England (Church of England)", still manage to put Judeo-Christian spin on it. Alas, we see the wabbliness of that "not so pure "democracy", as people are now talking about government partial take over of financial institutions. Welcome to the reality of "human nature!"

Charity begins at home. The muslim society, even only by name, should be able to rule themselves, if only on paper by Islamic rulings. Majority rules, man.



[Quote]
I'm talking about Pakistan's version of Sharia Law not the idealistic one. Countries that have implemented sharia law have high rates of gender inequality.
[/quote]

I am talking about "idealistic One", Qur'aan and its Sunnah/ahadith explanations. Anything less is not Sharia.

Quote
can you name a perfect Islamic Society or are we being idealistic here again.

No perfect islamic Society. I said that before. However we have individuals who are aspering to "perfection" as much as they can.

Charity begins at home. The muslim society, even only by name, should be able to rule themselves, if only on paper by Islamic rulings. Majority rules, man.

So you support the Majority encroaching on the minority?

I am talking about "idealistic One", Qur'aan and its Sunnah/ahadith explanations. Anything less is not Sharia.

Can such perfection be achieved. Sharia has been exploited over and over again. Doesn't that give you a clue that its an oppressive and archaic system.

@Bawomolo: « #11 on: Today at 04:48:37 AM »

So you support the Majority encroaching on the minority?

And you are supporting the "minority" to encoach on the Majority? You can't be serious, man. You need to get out of Chi-town if this is your view. America is not big enough for such whooper of an agenda! Tell me which society the minority rules the majority, except by oppressive mandate/means; guns, fear, etc?

I hope your agenda can work in America because I will love to see Islamic law overcome Judeo-Christian ideas of the "founding fathers!"



[Quote]
Can such perfection be achieved. Sharia has been exploited over and over again. Doesn't that give you a clue that its an oppressive and archaic system.
[/quote]

No. Your premise is wrong. It is better to say that those who are using it, have their own "different agendas!" Sharia should be practiced on yourself first, before trying to implement it on others. A person who is not willing to live within the guidelines, yet wants others to, is a complete hypocrite. They say do as I as I do is better than do as I say!

Iran universities has around 65-70% girls compared to boys

girls that are forced to wear hijabs they detest,imposed on them by the menfolk.
girls are arrested,detained and flogged for wearing sexy hijabs
give me a break.
Do you know how many that have fled Iran for the US and thrown their hijabs in the toilets?
Of course there are more girls in school since the men are learning how to tie explosives to their lower regions and head to Aswani market

Saudi Univerities have separate campuses with thousands of girls studying

Girls that are taught by male professors they can't see face to face or ask questions face to face.
Girls that die in house fires because the fire fighters are not allowed to go rescue girls lest they turned on
Girls that only 5% of thm go on to be employed lest they turn men on.
Rubbish.
Girls that can't drive, started voting just the other day are forced to wear black penguin outfits and escorted by little boys around town.
Girls that can't own ID cards in their names and need male permission to even go to the doctors
Girls that can't go out to a restaurant to eat.
Girls that are flogged for having noisy shoes

UAE has univeristies with also different campuses with thousands of girls studying there

and after studying where do they end up?
married to some old man witrh 3 other wives.

Syria,Egypt,Yemen and every other middle easte countries have women studying extensively.
The muslim countries of Indonesia,Malaysia andeven in Pakistan all have women studying.

Studying and crying out to be freed from their hell on earth.
Studying as second class citizens stuck in a class and listening to man on TV
will you hire such a person
How many go on to get jobs?

It is more than evident that there is no basis for girls not studying in Islam

then tell us where is the Taliban get their views from?

.

Aisha the wife of the Prophet was a notable Hadith scholar as thousands of ahadeeth were transmitted through her and men would go to her to learn ahadeeth of the Prophet (SAW).

She also received punches on her chest for being nosey.
There's also a haith on that

Islam emphasises female medical practitioners so are they supposed to emerge if women werent allowed to learn. The occurence of this in a particular region showes it is more to do with the culture and not islam

.
and somehow that "culture" like child marriage,vvf,honor killing,beheadings,rape of slave girls,subjugation of women,suicide bombing and terrorism seems to operate in places where pilgrimage to mecca is a noble fit.
I wonder why?
God help you if your wife should have a complicated labour  that a midwife can't handle and there's no female OBGYN around since that field is taboo to men in shariah lest they get turned on by a dilated cervix.

However the introduction of shariah for the is a welcome development as they wish to live in accordance to their faith. The only issue of correct is the girls school which i said earlier

There are different sharias, and the Koran is their reference.
In Bahrain,shariah allows grown men to finger 1 year olds
allows child brides in most Islamic shariahs
cutting off of hands and feet and stonings of rape victims
In some areas shariah allows honor killings
still the same shariah.
shariah also allows men to beat up their wives.
Give me a break.

@post :

Sharia Law controls, rules and regulates all public and private behavior. It has regulations for personal hygiene, diet, sexual conduct, and elements of child rearing. It also prescribes specific rules for prayers, fasting, giving to the poor, and many other religious matters.     
The Sharia, while being rooted in the sources of the 'Islamic revelation', is a living body of law that caters to the needs of the 'Islamic society'.

The Sharia does not recognize any distinction between religious or secular law neither between the sacred and the profane. There is no separation between State and Mosque; the religion of 'Islam' and the government are one and the same.
'Islamic' Law is controlled, ruled and regulated by the 'Islamic' religion. The theocracy controls all public and private matters (Example the Taliban of Afghanistan and the Mullahs of Iran to name two out of 55 countries).

Sharia Law is anti democratic, totally theocratic, discriminatory, immoral, unjust, inhumane, racist and illogical.

Sharia Law is Demonic and Satanic, bereft of any Mercy, compassion or Justice. 

It is a verifiable fact that in every Muhammadan country where Shariah is embraced, people who are not muhammedans face the worst discrimination, social ostracism, harassments, prison, torture or death only because of their religious beliefs.

Under the Human Rights Convention, any country which declares itself an Islamic Republic, that is follows the Sharia laws, should be expelled from any agency in the UN which deals with Human Rights, Women Emancipation, etc etc. because under such a politico-religious entity, neither females nor none Muhammadans have any rights and most of the other rules carry "cruel and unusual punishments

@post :

It is only a matter of time before that cancer called Sharia law now spreads round Pakistan. Unless they eradicate that satanic law, that country will never prosper.

Take a look at what Sharia is turning Nigeria into. If I am the president today, the first I will do is to eradicate that rubbish thing they call Sharia law in the 13 Northern states. Deja never ends !!!

Women are treated like domestic animals under Sharia law and women are prohibited from going to school, they are not allowed to work unless in the area of midwivery.

@post :

2:222 They ask thee concerning women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution; so keep away from women in their courses and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves ye may approach them in any manner time or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.

Women are only sex objects for man's pleasure and his plaything.

2: 223 Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will. But do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah and know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter) and give (these) good tidings to those who believe.

Muhammadan Islam relegates womanhood to the level of a field suitable for ploughing and sowing seed, and the man as the tiller. They are only an object for his pleasures and desires, when, where and how it suits him. A husband may beat his wife with or without a reason, at will.

4:34 Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct admonish them (first) (next) refuse to share their beds, beat them ; but if they return to obedience seek not against them means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High Great (above you all)

4:43 "Believers, approach not prayers with a mind befogged or intoxicated until you understand what you utter. Nor when you are polluted, until after you have bathed. If you are ill, or on a journey, or come from answering the call of nature, or you have touched a woman, and you find no water, then take for yourselves clean dirt, and rub your faces and hands. Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving."

The Quran claims women are unclean and polluted; worse than dirt

God have mercy !!!