Shariah’s evil twin

Interview | Scholar Paul Marshall says the difference between Shariah and extreme Shariah is the difference between moral values and mortal conflict | Marvin Olasky

Paul Marshall, a senior fellow at Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom, has lectured worldwide and is the author or editor of 20 books on religion and politics, including Their Blood Cries Out and Islam at the Crossroads. His latest edited book is Radical Islam's Rules: The Worldwide Spread of Extreme Shari'a Law (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005).

WORLD: A few years ago, a book on Islamic law (Shariah) was likely to be read only by academic specialists and some Muslims. Why is it important for general readers now?

MARSHALL: Islamic extremists, including terrorists, want to impose restrictive forms of Shariah in place of "man-made law" and democracy. Last Dec. 16, Osama bin Laden denounced the Saudis for implementing "man-made laws" and warned, "If a ruler . . . abandons Allah's law, it is incumbent on the subjects . . . to rebel." Two weeks later, his "Letter to the Iraqi People" denounced the Jan. 30 election since Muslims may elect only a leader for whom "Islam is the only source of the rulings and laws." He also forbade participation in the Palestinian Authority elections.