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Sharia law in UK is 'unavoidable'The Archbishop ofCanterbury says theadoption of certain

aspects of Sharia law in

the UK "seemsunavoidable".

Dr Rowan Williams told Radio4's World at One that the UK

has to "face up to the fact"that some of its citizens donot relate to the British legalsystem.

Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia lawwould help maintain social cohesion.

For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputesor financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.

He says Muslims should not have to choose between "thestark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty".

'Sensational reporting'

In an exclusive interview with BBC correspondent ChristopherLandau, ahead of a lecture to lawyers in London on Monday,Dr Williams argues this relies on Sharia law being better

understood.

At the moment, he says "sensational reporting of opinionpolls" clouds the issue.

He stresses that "nobody intheir right mind would want

to see in this country thekind of inhumanity that'ssometimes been associatedwith the practice of the law insome Islamic states; the

extreme punishments, theattitudes to women as well".

But Dr Williams said an approach to law which simply said"there's one law for everybody and that's all there is to be

said, and anything else that commands your loyalty orallegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of thecourts - I think that's a bit of a danger".

"There's a place for finding what would be a constructiveaccommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as wealready do with some other aspects of religious law."

'Other loyalties'

Dr Williams says Muslims shouldhave a choice in legal disputes

Dr Williams interview

An approach to law whichsimply said - there's one law for

everybody - I think that's a bitof a danger

Dr Rowan Williams

Archbishop of Canterbury

Religious courts in the UK

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Dr Williams added: "What we don't want either, is I think, astand-off, where the law squares up to people's religiousconsciences."

HAVE YOUR SAY

There is, and should only be, one law which covers all people

and to suggest it can be otherwise is to seriously damage ourrightsPatricia London, UKSend us your comments

"We don't either want a situation where, because there's noway of legally monitoring what communities do... people do

what they like in private in such a way that that becomesanother way of intensifying oppression inside a community."

The issue of whether Catholic adoption agencies would beforced to accept gay parents under equality laws showed thepotential for legal confusion, he said.

"That principle that there is only one law for everybody is an

important pillar of our social identity as a westerndemocracy," he said.

"But I think it is a misunderstanding to suppose that meanspeople don't have other affiliations, other loyalties whichshape and dictate how they behave in society and that thelaw needs to take some account of that."

'Custom and community'

Dr Williams noted that Orthodox Jewish courts already

operated, and that the law accommodated the anti-abortionviews of some Christians.

"The whole idea that there are perfectly proper ways the lawof the land pays respect to custom and community, that'salready there," he said.

People may legally devise their own way to settle a dispute in

front of an agreed third party as long as both sides agree to

the process.

Muslim Sharia courts and the Jewish Beth Din which alreadyexist in the UK come into this category.

The country's main Beth Din at Finchley in north Londonoversees a wide range of cases including divorce settlements,contractual rows between traders and tenancy disputes.

Dr Williams's comments are likely to fuel the debate overmulticulturalism in the UK.

Last month, the Bishop of Rochester, the Right Reverend DrMichael Nazir-Ali, said some places in the UK were no-go

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areas for non-Muslims.

Dr Williams said it was "not at all the case that we haveabsolute social exclusion".