US politicians’ anti‑Sharia remarks draw strong response from Muslim leaders

Senator Ted Cruz told the Republican mid‑term convention in Dallas that “Sharia law has no place in America,” prompting cheers from the crowd.

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas added that he would “fully ban Sharia law in Texas.” The statements have sparked a vigorous reaction from Muslim American civic leaders and scholars across the United States.

These leaders argue that Sharia, as practiced in the United States, is a set of religious guidelines covering prayer, fasting, charitable giving and personal conduct, and that it shares common moral principles with other faith traditions such as the Ten Commandments.

Illinois‑based Sabeel Ahmed, director of the GainPeace outreach project, said on Instagram that Sharia is often misunderstood and that “it is Allah’s guidance for living with faith, justice, mercy, and responsibility.” He attributes the surge in anti‑Sharia rhetoric to politicians and social‑media influencers seeking to mobilise their supporters.

Sudanese‑born scholar Abdullahi Ahmed An‑Na’im, former Emory University law professor, warned that the demonisation of Sharia reflects “a shocking ignorance of what Sharia means” and amounts to “a total dehumanisation of the other.”

Opponents in Congress, including Texas Republicans Keith Self and Chip Roy, co‑founded the Sharia‑Free America Caucus, which now has more than 60 Republican members and has introduced several anti‑Sharia bills, none of which have passed. The Council on American‑Islamic Relations has labelled the caucus an anti‑Muslim hate group.

Source: ABC News. Photo: Zachary Caraway / Pexels.