On the Plurality of Islamic Law

[...] There is a formidable array of forces currently intent on restoring Islamic law's prestige. They range from extremist and reactionary movements such as the Taliban, to the Islamist parties and the liberal religious feminists who scrutinise Islamic law in their search for ways to help improve the legal status of women.
All of this tends to obscure the picture. "Muslims, too, often use the term Sharia rather imprecisely," notes Mathias Rohe, lawyer and Islamic studies expert from Erlangen. "The narrow, traditional interpretation of Sharia equates it with corporal punishment and discrimination against women. The other, very broadly defined co...

On the Plurality of Islamic Law

[...] There is a formidable array of forces currently intent on restoring Islamic law's prestige. They range from extremist and reactionary movements such as the Taliban, to the Islamist parties and the liberal religious feminists who scrutinise Islamic law in their search for ways to help improve the legal status of women.
All of this tends to obscure the picture. "Muslims, too, often use the term Sharia rather imprecisely," notes Mathias Rohe, lawyer and Islamic studies expert from Erlangen. "The narrow, traditional interpretation of Sharia equates it with corporal punishment and discrimination against women. The other, very broadly defined conception, sees Sharia as referring to the basic religious precepts of Islam – prayer, fasting, pilgrimage."
Neither of these truly hits the mark, according to Rohe. "The historical dimension of Sharia needs to be taken into account if one really wants to understand Islamic law."
[...]
Sharia versus civil and private law
It is a point upon which the law professor has strong views. The idea of admitting Sharia laws into the areas of European civil and private law is something to which he is very much opposed.
[...]
"Muslims who are calling for the introduction of Sharia need to realise that the freedom to vote that exists in Germany is a great privilege, and that there are opportunities to influence things within the scope of the existing legal framework, and in a way that is compatible with a stricter religious understanding."

Mathias Rohe believes that Islamic theology has a duty. "Islamic theologians and religious teachers have an important role to play when it comes to the compatibility of Islamic religious identity with the principles of the democratic rule of law," he says.

Qantara.de