Texas Republicans escalate anti-Sharia campaign, muslim groups fight back

Some of the loudest cheers for Sen. Ted Cruz at the Republicans’ recent midterm convention in Dallas came after he targeted Muslim Americans and their faith’s religious code, declaring that “Sharia law has no place in America,” according to an Associated Press report. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott followed by vowing to “fully ban Sharia law in Texas.”

Muslim American civic leaders and scholars are responding forcefully to the surge in anti-Sharia rhetoric, defending Sharia as guidance with elements in common with other faiths’ codes, such as the Ten Commandments.

Illinois-based Sabeel Ahmed, director of outreach project GainPeace, said Sharia “is often misunderstood,” insisting it concerns “living with faith, justice, mercy, and responsibility” rather than punishment.

Two Texas Republicans, Keith Self and Chip Roy, co-founded the Sharia-Free America Caucus in Congress, which the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has designated an anti-Muslim hate group. In August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also demanded documents from the Dallas-based Islamic Tribunal, alleging it may be acting outside the law.