(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A federal judge in Oklahoma City has issued a temporary injunction against an Oklahoma referendum that sought to ban the use of Islamic law, or Shariah, in state courts.
U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange had earlier issued an order to prevent state election officials from certifying the results of the Nov. 2 vote, when voters approved the referendum by a 70-30 percent ratio.
Noting that "the will of the ‘majority’ has on occasion conflicted with the constitutional rights of individuals," the judge concluded that the referendum is likely unconstitutional.
Opponents had argued that the measure was an unnecessary swipe against Muslims and said supporters used the measure to stir up anti-Muslim hostility and drive conservative voters to the polls.
Muneer Awad, executive director of the Oklahoma City chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, sued to block the law from taking effect. He argued that it unconstitutionally singled out Islam and would invalidate civil documents like wills and marriage contracts that Muslims — like Christians and Jews — often draw-up according to religious guidelines.
Miles-LaGrange agreed, saying the measure expresses a state disapproval of Islam, "inhibits religion" and "fosters an excessive government entanglement with religion. If enacted, she said, the referendum would force state courts to make religious rulings on what is and isn’t Shariah, which is unconstitutional.
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