Aina Khan, spoke to Voice of Russia UK’s Tim Ecott in an interview regarding the launch of Sharia Watch, alongside the group’s spokeswoman Anne Marie Waters.
Sharia Watch is a new group that was launched on 24 April 2014 at the House of Lords claiming to “campaign for greater recognition” of the apparent “threat posed by Islamic Sharia law”.
The group’s spokeswoman Anne Marie Waters, and Aina Khan, spoke to Voice of Russia UK’s Tim Ecott in an interview on 24th April 2014 discussing the benefits of Sharia legal solutions for vulnerable Muslim members of the British community.
Throughout the course of the interview Aina discussed Sharia Watch’s accusations that Sharia Law apparently “values women less than men” and that “it puts women in an inferior position to men”.
Aina KhanAina explained how her “Sharia is practised under English Law” and that her solutions work “extremely well in favour of women, particularly those who cannot be helped under English Law”.
Aina used the following example of a case to justify her retort;
“For example, a woman who believes she is married under English law, but only had a Muslim ceremony in the UK – that marriage is not recognised under English law unless it is registered. If she didn’t know that that wasn’t a valid marriage she stands to lose all her matrimonial rights to property and a share of the family assets. English law will do nothing because she will be classed as a girlfriend or co-habitee, and co-habitees don’t have any rights under English law.
“Sharia law actually gives that woman and others like her great security by giving her the Islamic financial settlement that is in every Muslim marriage contract. So I take those cases to court under English contract law. If a woman has been promised a lump sum by her husband and then he divorces her, it’s only Islamic law that will help her get back to the position she was in before the marriage.”
Aina also discussed the upcoming protests against the Law Society’s issue of guidance to British solicitors about how to advise clients wishing to have a Sharia will..
Aina stated that “This was a non-story that was blown out of proportion. The law has not changed in any way. There are certain mischievous elements that want to create discord in our society, and it’s the same groups again and again who use an emotive word – Sharia.
Finally to round up the interview, Aina discussed the apparent “malicious movement” of people projecting a fear of all things Islamic, who are using Sharia as an example of something they fear which may eventually be so popular it will demand official recognition, such as Sharia law equals English law?”
To which Aina replied; “I can understand where the fear comes from. I would probably find it frightening if I didn’t understand it. It also plays into the hands of extremism, and people like the English Defence League, and other right-wing groups. It’s important to stay calm because we don’t want to see victimisation of any one community.”
You can read the full interview, accompanied with an audio version here.
Read more here.