Relentlessly Hypocrite Irfan,

The issue I have is ISLAM as a Religious Political STATE trying by any means to force its culture on another.

If as you say Shariah is influenced by therefore similar to English law why have TWO laws - if not to nail just another corner of your tent on Australian soil?

Jesus was the TOTAL revelation of God for ALL humanity. His death on the cross was the fulfilment of hundreds of Biblical Prophesies.

NONE of those prophesies speak about Mohammad (a non Jew).

To come 700 years after Jesus with a NEW revelation and a NEW set of laws from a NEW god: Allah (that he arrogantly equates to God) is a travesty and aberration to humanity.

If you insist on living in this prison you call religion - so be it - but don't continue in your quest to impose it on the free world.
Pleeease!

What was it in the article you did not understand coach? Irfan Yusuf correctly points out the shared traditions of legal institutions across cultures.

You betray your biases in proclaiming that Jesus (pronounced Jeeesusss?) is somehow the one true god and that eliminates any other interpretations and "truths". This is exactly what has gone wrong with the fundamentalist Muslim minority. It shows, too, in the behaviour of a number of fundamentalist Christians; the behaviour of an American Baptist minister who turned up at the funeral of a young gay man who was beaten and left to die by a group of homophobic youths in Wyoming a numer of years ago. This so-called man-of-god was carrying a sign stating "God hates fags."

Religiosity, whether Christian, Muslim, Judaism, or whatever, is too often used to divide and foster hatred. It will be a better world when all religions, including atheism ;-), learn to take themselves less seriously.

Good article Irfan.

Although the comments as you quoted them reflects a poor understanding on the PM & the treasurer behalf of understanding the concepts of Shariah.

Coach,

One word for you : 'Deedat'.
A great thinker who silenced your mob on prophet Mohamed (pbuh) prophecies in the Torah and Bible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Deedat
Check the references and you will be impressed how much we do have in common.

The sharing of legal practice and ideas is not suprising as the cultures that Irfan refers to can all trace their legal origins back to the Code of Laws created by King Hammurabi of ancient Babylon.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammurabi)

Little by little,inch by inch. This is how Islam would get it's teeth into our country. Sorry Irf, if you want,need,desire to live by Sharia,go where Sharia is law.
It is not law here and hopefully never will be.

I am obviously missing something here but if most of Shariah law is already covered under Australian law then what is the issue? If there are any points that would improve things for everyone then there is no reason why laws cannot change - as they do all the time. Just don't expect any changes that are detrimental to Australian values.

My experience (albeit limited) of Muslims here is that most have come to Australia BECAUSE they want to live in a western society with equal rights, democracy and the freedoms and protection that go side by side with our legal system. I am pretty sure there would be an uproar from Muslims as well as everyone else if Shariah law was enforceable here.