Legislation is needed to ban attempts to impose Sharia law in the United States, as it is essential to preserve the Constitution as the sole legal framework in the United States, according to Reps. Randy Fine and Keith Self, who have proposed a "No Sharia Act."
The measure would bar courts from enforcing any judgment, decree, or arbitration that relies on Islamic law or any foreign system that violates constitutional rights, and Fine, R-Fla., and Self, R-Texas, told Newsmax's "National Report" on Friday that efforts to introduce alternative legal systems must be rejected.
"Whether it's calls to prayer at 5 a.m. in violation of noise ordinances, whether it's mayors that are out telling Christians they're no longer welcome in their city, and whether it's whether we listen to the imams who are very clear and they don't do it on hidden camera, they do it in public broadcast that they seek to impose Sharia law on the United States," Fine commented. "I think it's very clear that we speak loudly with one voice and say, we're not going to have that here."
Their legislation comes on the heels of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signing a state law targeting what he called "Sharia compounds" in Texas, including a proposed Muslim-only housing development called Epic City. Abbott argued the development could have operated under Islamic law had the state not intervened.
Supporters of the congressional bill say it would protect the Constitution and American culture from being undermined.
Critics, however, warn that the measure risks fueling Islamophobia and could face constitutional challenges of its own, including arguments that it unfairly targets a particular religion and violates protections of equal treatment under the law.
Self stressed that Sharia represents not just a legal system but a broader culture that, if left unchecked, could erode U.S. principles.
"Look, I don't even use Sharia law. I say Sharia because it is a complete culture. It is a complete civilization. That and it tends to be dominant," he said. "Look at the places that have been radicalized, even Iran. When the ayatollahs came into power, they radicalized Iran, a Shia nation."
He added that now, the U.K. is also being radicalized.
"That's what we do not want to happen," said Self. "We cannot have two sets of laws, Sharia and the U.S. Constitution. We have to have one set of laws, one culture, one civilization based on the U.S. Constitution."
Fine pointed to concerns in Dearborn, Michigan, where residents have complained about mosque loudspeakers broadcasting early-morning calls to prayer.
"This is very obtrusive ... This violates noise ordinances, and this needs to be stopped. You cannot violate other people's rights simply because you have Sharia in a neighborhood," he said.
Momentum, Fine added, is already building in Congress. "We're closing in on a dozen co-sponsors already, and I think you're going to see widespread support among Republicans because they're horrified with some of the things that they're seeing in America. And we're terrified of becoming like the U.K.," he said.
While Fine said it remains unclear whether Democrats will support the measure, he and Self vowed to keep pushing. "We're going to go and we're going to fight to do what's right and to protect America and American values," Fine said.
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