11:11 Angels Message Board

Good overview of Sharia Law ...
(guidance as Sharia Law gains influence worldwide)


Q: What is Islam's Sharia Law?

(Perplexity) "Sharia Law is the system of Islamic religious law derived primarily from the Qur’an and the Sunnah
(teachings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad), guiding both spiritual and secular aspects of Muslim life.

Definition and Origins

Sharia literally means "the way" or "the path" in Arabic, signifying guidance for living in accordance with God's will.
It began developing after the Prophet Muhammad’s death, with Islamic scholars interpreting religious texts to answer
new legal, ethical, and ritual questions that arose in Muslim societies.

Sources of Sharia

The foundation of Sharia is based on four main sources:

- The Qur’an (Islam’s holy book)
- The Sunnah (Prophet Muhammad’s teachings and practices)
- Scholarly consensus (ijmāʿ)
- Analogical reasoning (qiyās)

Scope of Sharia

Sharia covers all aspects of a Muslim’s life—spiritual, moral, family, business, and legal matters. It categorizes actions
into five groups: obligatory, recommended, permitted, disliked, and forbidden. Sharia addresses acts of worship,
everyday transactions, marriage, inheritance, criminal justice, and ethics.

Purpose and Application

The primary aims of Sharia, known as Maqasid al-Shariah, are to safeguard:

- Religion
- Life
- Mind
- Family
- Property

Interpretation and implementation of Sharia are carried out by scholars using the process called fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence),
which varies widely by country, culture, and school of thought. Some nations implement Sharia within their legal systems,
while for most Muslims it is a source of personal religious guidance and moral conduct. Summary:

Aspect ~ Description
Definition ~ Path of divine guidance; Islamic religious law
Sources ~ Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus, reasoning
Scope ~ Spiritual, moral, familial, economic, legal
Purpose/Maqasid ~ Protects religion, life, mind, family, property
Practice ~ Personal guidance or formal law, varies

Sharia is ultimately regarded as God’s command and the framework for a just and ethical life for Muslims.


Q: Is Sharia compatible with secular law worldwide?

(P) "Sharia is not universally compatible with secular law worldwide, though its integration and coexistence
vary significantly based on country, context, and interpretation.

Global Perspectives and Integration

Many secular states resist direct incorporation of Sharia, viewing religious law as incompatible
with the foundational principles of secular governance and universal human rights.

In practice, most Muslim-majority countries have hybrid legal systems that blend elements of Sharia with secular
or civil law, often restricting religious legal jurisdiction to personal matters like marriage, divorce, and inheritance,
while civil and criminal law remain secular.

Countries such as Saudi Arabia fully implement Sharia as state law, while others like Indonesia and Nigeria
allow for limited Sharia courts that coexist alongside secular courts, usually only for Muslim residents.

Secular states with Muslim minorities often regulate only specific areas such as Islamic finance or marriage
through Sharia-based laws, rather than making it the basis of their legal system.

Challenges and Ongoing Debates

Major points of incompatibility arise around human rights, especially gender equality, freedom of religion, and punishment methods,
which some interpretations of Sharia conflict with internationally recognized human rights standards.

However, opportunities exist for legal pluralism — systems allowing secular and religious courts to function in parallel
can provide citizens legal choice and preserve cultural identity.

Each country adapts the relationship between Sharia and secular law differently, influenced by historical, social,
and political factors, resulting in diverse legal landscapes ranging from full integration to complete separation. Summary:

Country/Region ~ Legal System Type ~ Sharia Role
Saudi Arabia ~ Religious (Sharia) ~ Full state law
Indonesia, Nigeria ~ Hybrid (Secular & Sharia) ~ Personal/family law
Western Secular States ~ Secular ~ Rare, limited (finance, marriage)
Turkey, Senegal ~ Secular ~ Minimal or no Sharia

While Sharia can coexist with secular law in limited ways, broad compatibility is rare, and the degree depends entirely
on local legal frameworks, cultural norms, and specific interpretation."


Q: Since the Urantia revelation is neither a religion nor secular, what is its perspective on Islam's Sharia Law?

(UB Tutor) "The perspective offered on Sharia Law, or any religious legal system, must be understood within the broader framework of the teachings that emphasize the spiritual evolution of humanity and the progressive revelation of divine truth. The teachings suggest that religious systems, including Islam, represent stages in humanity's evolving understanding of God and morality. Sharia Law, as an expression of Islamic principles, reflects the attempt to codify moral and social behavior in alignment with the monotheistic vision of Allah. Its strength lies in the clear and defined presentation of one universal deity, emphasizing mercy and compassion. However, its historical association with military force and certain social practices, such as the treatment of women, is critiqued as limitations that have hindered its broader spiritual potential.

The teachings also highlight that humanity's spiritual journey is evolutionary, and religious systems often emerge as adaptations to specific cultural and social contexts. Islam, like other faiths, is seen as a step in this evolutionary process, providing a monotheistic framework that was a significant advancement for its time. However, the revelation encourages moving beyond rigid legalism to embrace a more universal and personal relationship with the divine. This is reflected in the emphasis on the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of all humanity, transcending the boundaries of religious laws and doctrines.

In this light, Sharia Law, while rooted in sincere efforts to align human behavior with divine will, is viewed as part of the evolutionary process rather than an ultimate or final expression of divine truth. The teachings advocate for a spiritual approach that prioritizes personal faith, love, and service over strict adherence to legalistic frameworks. This perspective invites individuals and societies to focus on the universal values of mercy, justice, and spiritual growth, fostering unity and understanding among diverse religious traditions."


Rod

Hi Rod,
Thank you for sharing this overview information on Sharia law. It seems a very good summary.
xxSandy

Q: How are the Urantia Papers unrelated to Theosophy, the "anti-Christ religion"?

(Perplexity) "The Urantia Papers are fundamentally unrelated to Theosophy and are also not commonly recognized as part
of any so-called "anti-Christ religion" — a label that is highly subjective and often polemical rather than scholarly or descriptive.

Urantia Papers and Theosophy

Origins: The Urantia Papers originated in Chicago between 1924 and 1955, claiming to be authored by celestial beings
distinct from any Theosophical roots or personalities.

Core Teachings: Theosophy centers on esoteric philosophies from figures like Helena Blavatsky, focusing on reincarnation
and Eastern mysticism. In contrast, the Urantia Papers reject both reincarnation and theosophical concepts of the soul,
offering a cosmic narrative and detailed teachings about Jesus' life that diverge sharply from Theosophical doctrine.

Distinct Traditions: While both texts reference spiritual revelation and present complex cosmologies, there is no evidence
of direct textual or philosophical borrowing. The Urantia Book distances itself from Theosophical ideas by neither advocating
reincarnation nor incorporating Theosophy’s hierarchical structures of spiritual evolution.

Addressing "Anti-Christ Religion" Claims

Non-Christian Elements: Some Christian critics label both movements "anti-Christ" due to departures from literal biblical doctrine,
but Theosophy and Urantia teachings are not organizationally connected and differ in how they interpret Christ and spiritual authority.

Distinct Christologies:

Urantia Book: Presents a unique Christology wherein Jesus is considered divine, but not in the purely orthodox Trinitarian sense —
this is unlike both Christian orthodoxy and Theosophy.

Theosophy: Regards Jesus as one in a line of "masters" or avatars but does not treat Christ’s divinity
in the same manner as either Christianity or the Urantia Papers.

Religious Neutrality: The Urantia Papers explicitly claim not to be a religion or to replace existing traditions,
instead proposing to "build upon the spiritual truths that exist in all religions". Summary:

Aspect: Urantia Papers ~ Theosophy
Origin: Chicago, 1924–1955 ~ Blavatsky, late 1800s
View on Jesus: Divine, central focus ~ Spiritual master, not divine
Reincarnation: Rejected ~ Central doctrine
Relation to Bible: Divergent, affirms Jesus ~ Syncretic, esoteric
View of God: Trinitarian, cosmic Father ~ Impersonal Absolute, hierarchy

The Urantia Papers are an independent spiritual text that neither derive from Theosophy nor fulfill anti-Christian
definitions except from narrow, doctrinally conservative perspectives. Their teachings and origins remain unique
and distinct from Theosophical philosophy."


(Google AI Overview about this fifth epochal revelation)

"Urantia Book's relationship with Christianity is complex; it acknowledges Christianity's positive influence and the historical truths
of Jesus' life, but it also presents a "correcting" and expanded cosmology that deviates significantly from orthodox Christian beliefs.

The Urantia Book presents Jesus' spiritual truths as a foundation, but criticizes what it calls the "Hellenized version
of Pauline Christianity" and emphasizes the need to focus on the "religion of Jesus" rather than the "religion about Jesus".

Urantia's View of Christianity:

Appreciation for Jesus' Teachings: The Urantia Book recognizes the immense spiritual value of Jesus' teachings
and calls Christianity a "mighty religion" with "enough of Jesus' teachings to immortalize it".

Critique of Pauline Christianity: The Urantia Book describes Christianity as a product of a compromise,
where "pagan" rituals were adopted while a "Hellenized version of Pauline Christianity" was promoted.

Focus on the True Gospel: The book distinguishes between the "gospel of the kingdom" (the fatherhood of God
and brotherhood of man) and later "gospel about Jesus" (his death, burial, and resurrection) as presented by Paul.

Differences from Traditional Christianity:

Cosmic Perspective: The Urantia Book claims to offer a "breathtaking" and expanded view of the universe
that goes beyond traditional Christian cosmology.

Christology: It proposes a different understanding of Jesus' divinity, stating that while he is the mediator,
he is not the Second Person of the Trinity in the way traditional Christianity suggests.

Focus on Personal Spiritual Progress: The Urantia Book emphasizes faith in God as a loving Father and a focus
on one's spiritual journey as a child of God, rather than adherence to specific Christian doctrines.

The Urantia Book's Goals: To Restore Jesus' True Teachings: The book aims to offer a more pure and comprehensive
understanding of Jesus' spiritual message, free from later theological developments and cultural compromises.

To Provide a Universal Spiritual Framework: It seeks to provide a unified spiritual understanding for humankind,
uniting individuals under the fatherhood of God and fostering a global religious brotherhood."


That Jesus is revealed as one of many divine Sons of God becomes understandable in this book's
cosmology that also reveals many universes having many inhabited planets, unfathomable cosmology
that's only now being discovered with more advanced space exploration. Jesus referred to his mission
also for the benefit of other inhabited planets in his universe with this teaching:

"Also must you remember that I have sheep not of this flock, and that I am beholden to them also,
to the end that I must provide for them the pattern of doing the will of God while living the life
of the mortal nature." (UB, 140:6.8 )

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16)


Rod