Practical sharia - XII: No infidels in sharia court.

The Hindu family of a deceased Malaysian man found themselves literally jostling Malaysian religious authorities at the morgue for possession of his body.

The interest of complete strangers in the disposition of the man's remains stems from the fact that he was a mountaineering hero, having participated in the first Malaysian expedition successfully to climb Mount Everest.

At that time in 1997 the deceased was a Hindu but according to some of his army colleagues he converted to Islam in 2004, which conversion was disputed by his family. However, a sharia court upheld the claim of the army guys that the deceased had converted to Islam, clearing the way for an Islamic funeral much opposed by the family.

The really cool part is that the family wasn't permitted to appear in that court to contest the issue of conversion because . . . wait for it . . . Hindus are infidels.

And what would a mere wife know, after all, about whether her husband had dived in whole hog and converted to Islam, let alone that he was even toying with the idea?

Contrast the parochial, discriminatory doctrine of sharia courts and the access to justice permitted in countries with an understanding of the rudiments of a justice system, viz., civilized countries.

Thus, sharia courts fail on two, among others, counts:

1. they are unwilling to hear all the evidence and


2. they deny access to persons with legitimate interests in issues before them.

Infidels seeking to visit or do business in Islamic countries that follow sharia in whole or in part are thus well advised to steer clear.

"Muslim burial for Malaysian hero." BBC News, 12/28/05.