in diverse Toronto towards TO_stan ?

Submitted by Cold_In_Toronto (Canada), Feb 27, 2008 at 17:06

Some of my work colleagues are muslim and we work in a large Toronto-based Canadian company. In conversations about islam, some will vocally disavow AQ, wahabism and the terrorism done in the name of islam and the others are quiet but nod in agreement. They all either attend mosque on Friday afternoons for service and/or pray 5 times a day here in a company provided room, not for exclusive use: in other words, they are observant. However, when asked if they support the legitimization of Shari'a in Ontario as law and indeed replacement of Common Law w Shari'a, they all agree 100% almost without reservation.

If these fellows, whom I like, respect as colleagues, and do consider my friends, can be classified as "moderate" muslims, what does their support of Shari'a speak of Islam ? Can I then conclude that there is no such thing as a "moderate" muslim or indeed a moderate Islam other than a secularized version of it ?

PS: As I write, current Ont premier, Dalton McGuinty, would like to replace the Lord's prayer that opens parliament with one that more closely reflects all Ontarians, 2/3rds of whom he claims come from other parts of the world. Irony is, the majority of these immigrants are at least nominal Christians.

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