Manchester law firm hit by Islamophobic abuse over shari’ah compliant products ad

The Manchester Evening News reports on a spate of online abuse directed at a Manchester based law firm which offers legal products to Muslim consumers in a shari’ah compliant way.

Carter Law were at the receiving end of online abuse after launching an advertising campaign featuring services for Muslim consumers. The advertisement drew attention to the law firm’s expertise in “Islamic Family Law” offering services to clients seeking to ensure “family matters are dealt with in a Sharia compliant way.”

Among messages posted by bigots responding to the firm’s advert were these:

“You need to take your ISLAMIC business and go back to the country you came from.”

“ISLAM has NO PLACE in OUR COUNTRY we are CHRISTIANS and will remain CHRISTIANS.”

“There is only one law in the UK, abide by it or get OUT.”

Jack MacMichael from Carter Law said in respect of the online abuse directed at the company in response to its advertising campaign: “We were extremely shocked at the racist reactions to the ad we ran on Facebook. The commenters seem to believe that there is some sinister parallel legal system for Muslims, but the services that we’re advertising are within the bounds of the law of England and Wales.

“They simply meet the needs of observant Muslim clients.

“Carter Law believes in equality for all of our staff and clients, regardless of ethnicity or religious convictions.

“It is a shame that not everyone shares our ethos. We’re all entitled to an opinion, but to see such unashamedly racist comments in a public forum wasn’t a pleasant experience.”

The assumption that there are dual legal systems operating in the UK and ignorance of the space provided for shari’ah tribunals by the Arbitration Act 1996 owes much to campaigns to demonise shari’ah compliant products and tribunals.

Foremost among such campaigners is Baroness Caroline Cox whose Arbitration and Mediation Services Bill has been presented as a Private Members’ Bill for the third successive year.

Cox’s Bill, which can count among its enthusiastic supporters Douglas “conditions for Muslims in Europe must be made harder across the board” Murray, is aimed at ensuring “Islamic courts [are] forced to acknowledge the primacy of English law.”

Forget that the primacy of English law is already established under the conditions which govern the remit of shari’ah tribunals, and Jewish Beth Din courts for that matter. Or indeed the fact that successive judges and a former Justice Secretary have affirmed the primacy of English common law. The debate about shari’ah tribunals and the deliberate obfuscation about their operation has fuelled hysterical campaigns under the guise of “one law for all” as though many legal systems were threatening to undermine the UK’s common law framework.

Baroness Cox herself, has spoken in alarmist tones claiming shari’ah tribunals “pose a threat to the principles of democracy.”

Interestingly her comments ignore that the same could be said of Beth Din courts if the accusations were being applied consistently and without bias but of course they’re not.

Little wonder Carter Law should experience abuse when ignorant views about shari’ah compliant products and legal services in the UK is so rife.