What are some good resources to understand Sharia Law?

[Vampie]

Hi, Im interested in finding out about Sharia law but having a bit of trouble finding resources (or at least resources that arent so negative, Im looking for a balanced understanding).

Are there any good websites or books that would be good and easy to understand?
Im not a Muslim and sometimes people give me links with a lot of passages which confuse me.
Something easy and straightforward is preferred.

Thanks
Zilla: I have been to that website...Is that really Sharia law?
Because my family is Muslim and not they or my relatives are anything like that...
It seems...very...strict and...out of touch? (not to be rude)
Kinza: Im actually going to write a paper for my political science class on Sharia law and its implications if implemented in a democratic country (i.e. like Canada).

But its also a general interest since I like to read up on religions.
I have read the Quran before when I was younger...but Ive forgotten it mostly
Thanks for the polite response Zilla.
Some of those things that you have mentioned are religious sins rather than illegal acts i.e. abortion, adultery so I tend not to see them in the same light as a theist.
But what of countries like Sweden where the crime rate is low and 80% of the population is atheist?
To me that site seemed very strict though there were a few things I did agree with but to me as an outsider and raised with more...freedom I just...its strict lol.
And if you repress your freedom so much, what joy is there to be had?
That website restricts a lot especially for a female like me.

[Mohammed]

Using the site that Yungun posted, search for questions relating to the Sharia topics that you want to research.

Sharia is based on the Quran and Sunnah. All the laws of Islam come from there. Whatever seems harsh will seem harsh when not understood, either in it's context, or because it needs to be understood with other references, or because it has a deeper meaning and wisdom and needs to be understood with deeper research (from scholars would help).

[Kinza]

If you could learn sharia from one book or from a site well..it would help people out great deal. You need to study MANY MANY years at an islamic insitute. to fully understand it. and 'basic understanding' is...worthless because either you getti or you dont

If you arent Muslim start with a translated Quran with proper appendix and explainations.

Sharia law is the government form of Islam.
Why would you pursue it before having a grasp of individual responsibilities in Islam

[Zilla Da Kid (Aka Yungun)]

islamqa.com


IT gives you rulings on specific cases based on sharia , and it gives you various scholarly opinions on the same issue, so you can see which side you agree with..


just go to the site click English, and then start typing terms like adultery, murder, rape and short stuff like that, and read the questions...

editL Your not being rude , it may seem strict on the surface, but when you realize that Islam works to take precautions on many of the social ills that plague western society, such as high divorce rates, violence, high crime rates (my city of Dallas is basically a war zone if you go deep enough in the citY), abortion and all of that..The strictness keeps people from suffering, by limiting certain freedoms we maximize security and happiness by preventing murder, adutlery, fornication and things like that......

Not to be speculative, maybe your family is just one of cultural muslims, people who follow some of the traditions of Islam and have the name of Islam, but due to lack of thorough Islamic teaching, dont follow all the teachigns of Islam


Kinza has an excellent point