Thfire.com Everyday news that matters The Islamic Sharia Law will be the basis of the legislation in the newly liberated Libya. This sure is raising a lot of eyebrows in the west.
Interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Sunday, during his speech to the nation in Benghazi to formally declare the country’s liberation from the ousted regime of Moammer Kadhafi, that sharia would be Libya’s principal law.
“Any law that violates sharia is null and void legally,” he said, citing as an example the law on marriage passed during the slain dictator’s 42-year tenure that imposed restrictions on polygamy, which is permitted in Islam.
“The law of divorce and marriage… This law is contrary to sharia and it is stopped,” Abdel Jalil said.
In his speech, Abdel Jalil also announced the introduction of Islamic banking in Libya in keeping with sharia which prohibits the earning of interest, or riba in Arabic, that is considered a form of usury.
Western leaders also responded swiftly to Abdel Jalil’s comments, with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton saying on Monday Libya’s introduction of sharia law must respect human rights and democratic principles.
