Florida judge using Islamic law to decide case

Time magazine's look at Shariah

A Florida state judge has determined that Islamic law, or Shariah, will be used to determine the validity of an arbitration in a dispute between factions in a mosque.

The decision comes from Hillsborough Circuit Judge Richard Nielsen. While it involves only an internal dispute at the Islamic Education Center of Tampa, concerns are being raised about use of any Islamic religious law in the United States.

Find out what other plans there are for the U.S., in "Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That's Conspiring to Islamize America

Several bill already have developed around the nation, including in Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee and Florida, to prevent judges from applying Shariah, which includes penalties such as beheading for leaving Islam, in the government's court systems.

In Oklahoma, voters with a 70-percent majority approved such a ban, but U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange blocked it after the Council on American-Islamic Relations argued the move was "anti-Islam."

The issue also has been the subject of a lawsuit in Michigan, where city officials in Dearborn are accused of allowing Shariah to be used to block Christians from discussing their faith at the city-sponsored Arab Fest. Under Shariah, it is illegal for a Muslim to convert to another faith.

Time magazine also has addressed concerns about the physical punishments included in the Shariah code, such as cutting off of hands, noses and ears.

The March edition of "Whistleblower" magazine, titled "Know Thine Enemy," also reveals how the Muslim Brotherhood, – "the shadowy, transnational Islamist parent organization of al-Qaida and Hamas – is committed not only to filling the growing leadership vacuum in the Arab world, but also, through its many proxies within the U.S., to impose the Quran and Shariah law right here in America."

The report reveals details about key U.S. front organizations for Shariah law, about the Muslim Brotherhood's "project" for North America, how Muslim groups are influencing judges, members of Congress and others and how Barack Obama's "appointments, statements, lawsuits" show "a strong and troubling affinity for Islam."

According to a report in the St. Petersburg Times, Nielsen agreed to use "Ecclesiastical Islamic Law" to decide the validity of an arbitration that was the subject of litigation.

The lawsuit was filed by several individuals who allege they were removed as trustees from the center – but they allege their removal was improper. The report said at issue is control of $2.2 million the center is getting from the state, which used some of the center land for a road project.

An arbitration decision was obtained from a local Islamic scholar, but the court challenge now revolves around whether that was obtained under the teachings of the Quran.

An attorney representing the mosque has challenged the judge's decision to the 2nd District Court of Appeal, questioning whether religious law has a place in the courts, the newspaper reported.

"The mosque believes wholeheartedly in the Quran and its teachings," attorney Paul Thanasides told the newspaper. "They certainly follow Islamic law in connection with their spiritual endeavors. But with respect to secular endeavors, they believe Florida law should apply in Florida courts."

The paper said the four former trustees and their representative could not be reached.

But the Times reported state Sen. Alan Hays and Rep. Larry Metz have proposed state law changes to disallow Islamic law in state courts.

Another expert from the University of Miami School of Law said an arbitration typically is run under the rules established when the arbitration procedure is set up, such as in a contract. Others told the newspaper the dispute is in state court, and state law should apply.

In an appeal of the judge's decision, Thanasides said, "The First Amendment restricts courts' authority to review, interpret and apply religious law because these actions interfere with a party's right to choose, free from state involvement, the religious dogmas it will follow," the newspaper reported.

WND reported only days earlier on a proposal by a team of Muslims who, under the banner of Shariah4America, suggested that the Statue of Liberty be covered with an Islamic burkha.

Islamists' plans for Statue of Liberty

"The Statue of Liberty, designed by Frederic Bartholdi, stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor; representing Libertas, the Roman (false) goddess of Freedom, it is symbolic of the rebellious nature of the U.S. Constitution that elevates the command of man over the command of God," the organization announced.

"In Islam, the public veneration of idols and statues is strictly prohibited. This has forced sincere Muslims to develop realistic plans that will aid in the removal of the Statue of Liberty.

"Due to the scale of the task at hand, it is highly likely that rigorous safety checks will need to be employed before the demolition of the Statue of Liberty can commence; thus as a temporary measure, it is proposed that a large burkha is used to cover the statue, thereby shielding this horrendous eye sore from public view as well as sending a strong message to its French creators," the website proclaimed.

"Post demolition, it is recommended that a minaret be built as a fitting replacement, allowing the glorification of God to be proclaimed daily as well as act as a powerful reminder of the superiority of Islam over all other ways of life," the site said.

Meanwhile, a band of conservative organizations calling themselves the Liberty Alliance Coalition has denounced attempts to advance Shariah in the United States.

The coalition is headed by Center for Security Policy Director Frank Gaffney who says Islamic law is the opposite of the Constitution and that it's time Americans get involved to oppose what was described as an attack on the Constitution.