On "Sharia Law"...

I am impressed! Nicely done, showing me up like that. I wasn't aware that such measures had been taken in the UK, and I will investigate further and be better prepared for the next round of anti-Islamic debate.

All I will say is that you mentioned the "criminal" court aspect of these "sharia" courts, but they ARE NOT courts, and have no authority in and of themselves. They are (as you have shown) arbitrators of disputes that judge based ONLY on the mutual agreement and consent of BOTH parties. This means there is no measurable difference (in my eyes, anyway) between these "courts" and any other arbitration system in place in the UK.

If BOTH parties don't agree to abide by the rulings, then there is no authority to impose a ruling from this "sharia" court. That tells me it is a far cry from a "parallel system of justice" within the United Kingdom, and they have a long way to go before we see imams and sheiks sitting next to the Lords of the Queen's Bench handing down Islamic rulings as the Law of the Land.

Disturbing... yes.

Disasterous... no.