| How the Government of Ontario would entertain | | | | because Hinduism had a similar "voluntary" practice |
| such a regressive notion as the introduction of | | | | called suttee. For |
| Shari'ah law in the resolution of family matters | | | | Hindu women who became widowed "voluntarily" |
| continues to mortify me. Widely documented and | | | | jumped on the funeral pyre, |
| internationally condemned as being contrary to basic | | | | sometimes being "helped" by her husbands family to |
| Canadian values, the abuses, biases, and discrimination | | | | maintain their honor upon his |
| practiced against women under Shari'ah has no place | | | | death. The British outlawed this practice 200 years |
| in my province.Justice is blind to nothing but the | | | | ago, and for good reason. It is |
| facts, Shari'ah law is not.It devalues women and | | | | not inline with western thought - and as hard as it |
| accords them little if any protection in respect to | | | | may be for some to believe, |
| domestic | | | | Canada IS a western nation.I believe that women, |
| disputes. To believe that the provision of Shari'ah | | | | irrespective of faith are entitled by law to equal |
| law as a "voluntary" dispute | | | | status, |
| resolution alternative is naivety at its grandest. | | | | protection and representation as their male |
| Implementing this puts women at | | | | counterparts. "Equality before and under |
| risk of coercion, condemnation, and alienation within | | | | law and equal protection and benefit of law" is |
| the Muslim community should | | | | enshrined in the Canadian Charter of |
| disputes arise and they fail to "voluntarily" opt for | | | | Rights and Freedoms. Shari'ah does not embrace this |
| resolution through Shari'ah | | | | ideal in its application to |
| tribunals."Men are the maintainers of women because | | | | domestic matters and on that ground alone if no |
| Allah has made some of them to excel | | | | other, is unacceptable. Ontario |
| others and because they spend out of their | | | | already has means of arbitration. The Family Law |
| property; the good women are therefore | | | | Act exists to govern family legal |
| obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; | | | | matters in the Province of Ontario and should also |
| and (as to) those on whose | | | | be the only applicable Act in |
| part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave | | | | respect to family matters in the Muslim community.I |
| them alone in the sleeping- | | | | urge anyone who claims stake in the future of |
| places and beat them; then if they obey you, do | | | | Canada to write to the Premier and |
| not seek a way against them; surely | | | | voice your concern for the introduction of Shari'ah |
| Allah is High, Great." | | | | law as a legally binding means of |
| (Qur'an 4:34 English translation: MH Shakir)I know this | | | | arbitration. |