I think you are

Submitted by Houssam (France), Apr 11, 2008 at 18:26

couple of points.

You are right, I was wrong in my inference about mosques in the west and I apologize for that.

Regarding the other points you have raised I can comment by the following:

it seems you have some knowledge about shariah. However the following has to be clarified. Muslims consider that only the Koran and the hadith are unchangeable over time. The other books of jurisprudence are explanations and interpretations of these two sources according to what muslim scholars thought at that time. No muslim in the world believes that these books are holy like the koran and we have to follow them word by word. This is why there is ijtihad in islam. as you know times have changed.

I am sure you know the evolution that christianity, and even secular laws have undergone throughout the centuries. Even in modern europe, women only recently gained their rights, like the right of inheritance. they got that in the 20th century while in islam it was granted to them since the koran was revealed. So also in islam, laws can be changed and adapted to current times and circumstances. These are the laws that are extracted from the koran and sunna and are subject to explanation and interpretation, in contrast to those that are considered unchangeable.

So, my personal point of view, in a modern islamic state where non-muslims are living, they would be treated like equal citizens. Nothing in the Koran or the sunna states contradicts this. However, they, together with all other citizens like muslims, will have to obey the general law as put by the islamic state.

I hope this clarifies things.

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