Two items in the news this week trouble the Western mind. In Afghanistan, the plight of a jailed rape victim draws attention to the condition of women in Islamic countries. She was convicted of adultery because she was raped. The child spawned by the act was born in jail. Her pardon was from a 12 year sentence. She was spared the fate of others who have been forced to marry their rapist. Some have then been killed in an "honor" slaying because the original "crime" brought the family shame.
In Egypt the much heralded election favored not only the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, but also the ultraconservative Salafis. Their leader, Sheik Shahat makes clear their view: "freedom restricted by Islamic Shariah, equality restricted by Islamic Shariah..." It is reported that the Salafis won 25% of the vote in the first round. Those who love freedom do not understand the fervor for Islamic law. In Egypt we may witness a different contest than we expected. Not tyranny vs democracy, but the rule of god vs the rule of man.
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