The Shari'a is the body and content of the Islamic law. The name means "way" or "path to water source." If one lives in a country based on Islamic principle, then the Shari'a law controls most aspects of one's public and private life. The Shari'a deals with politics, economics, banking, family, sexuality, business, and much more. There is not a specific set of laws laid out by this system, it is simply a religious code for living. The Shari'a is derived from the Qur'an, the Muslim holy book, and the Sunna, which is Islamic custom or practice. Some of the practices that someone following the Shari'a would partake in include circumcision, specific dress codes (ex. women must keep their whole body covered except for their eyes), and burial rituals.
The Shari'a is only supposed to apply to Muslims; Christians and people of different religions are supposed to be exempt from these religious practices and obligations. This is why the Christians, tradition African believers, and animistics were so angry when President Nemeiry forced all of Sudan to follow the Shari'a.
Sources:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Allah-eser2.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/I_Transp/IO8_MuslimLaw.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/islsharia.htm
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