Muslim sues Oklahoma state for banning Sharia law

WASHINGTON - Two days after Oklahoma voters approved a ballot measure banning state courts from considering Islamic Sharia law or international law while making a judgement, a local Muslim has filed a federal lawsuit saying the measure is unconstitutional.

The lawsuit against ballot measure, State Question 755 or better known as “Save Our State,” has sought for a temporary restraining order to block the results of the election from being certified by the state Election Board on November 9, which is scheduled to go into effect on January 1.

According to Fox News, Muneer Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Oklahoma who filed the lawsuit, has claimed that the measure is unnecessary as there is no threat of an Islamic takeover of state courts. Muslims make up only 30,000 of the state’s nearly 4 million residents, less than 1 percent.

He further stated that the measure is a violation of his First Amendment right to freedom of religion because it singles out Islam, and accused that the move is simply another way to politically savage Muslims.

The Islamic community in Oklahoma has complained about the past actions of the state legislature, including a proposal to forbid Muslim women from wearing head garments in driver’s license photos and refusing to accept a Koran from a Muslim advisory council at an official state ceremony, the report said.

The measure was proposed by Republican State Representative Rex Duncan, who said that the proposition was a “pre-emptive strike” against judges, who he worries could be “legislating from the bench or using international law or Sharia law.” (ANI)