The bad faith that is manifest in this and all other recent defenses of Sharia against the supposedly bigoted “Islamophobes” who are trying to oppose it is that all these defenses of Sharia completely ignore the political, supremacist, expansionist, and violent aspects of Sharia, and bank on their audience’s ignorance of the fact that those aspects even exist. Shadi Hamid, as a professor at Georgetown’s Saudi-funded Islamic apologetics mill, the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), certainly knows that Sharia isn’t simply about “guidelines on how to pray, fast and otherwise observe what it means to submit to God in daily practice,” and that it asserts authority over non-Muslims and institutionalizes discrimination against non-Muslims in numerous ways. Yet he doesn’t come even close to hinting that those aspects of Sharia exist. Anyone who isn’t sure whether Hamid or I are telling the truth about this need only look at the fact that Iran, Saudi Arabia, and several other Muslim countries are Sharia states. Their entire systems of law are based on Sharia. If Sharia were simply religious governing one’s observance of Muslim practices, that would make no sense.
Shadi Hamid, however, as a Georgetown professor and Washington Post columnist, is a cosseted member of the leftist establishment. That establishment has decreed that anyone who is outside that establishment and questions anyone within it is simply a racist “Islamophobe,” and thus safely ignored. Shadi Hamid is thereby freed of any obligation to confront the reality of Sharia or his disingenuousness in this article. He can and will simply wave it away as “bigotry.” And the whole charade will go merrily on.
“Muslims shouldn’t have to assimilate to belong,” by Shadi Hamid, Washington Post, April 8, 2026:
…The Sharia-Free America Caucus has swelled to 60 House members. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) recently said, “I’m ready to get rid of the Muslims.” The instinct, when faced with this, is to marshal the evidence. Over the past decade, surveys have shown that American Muslims are patriotic, civically engaged and more likely than the U.S. general public to say that political violence is never justified. You’d think that would be enough. Except it shouldn’t have to be. And this is where it gets uncomfortable — for me, at least.
The assimilation defense — look how well we’ve integrated — is satisfying to make. But it concedes a premise I no longer accept: that a minority community’s right to be in the United States depends on its willingness to converge with the cultural mainstream. It shouldn’t depend on that. It shouldn’t depend on anything. But there’s something else going on that makes the picture messier. On the questions where Muslim Americans remain religiously conservative — sexuality, gender identity and family structure — their views don’t diverge much from the Republican base. They haven’t assimilated as much as liberals might like. You’d think Republicans would sense an electoral opportunity….
This is where the conversation needs to shift, and where it becomes less about politics and more about culture: Muslims are different in certain ways. How could they not be? Islam shapes how its adherents think about family, sexuality and what it means to live a good life. Simply put, Islam is also a more public religion than Christianity. Muslim prayer is visually striking and often communal. If a Muslim doesn’t drink alcohol or fasts during Ramadan, that will be more noticeable to others. Moreover, practicing Muslims — despite being repeatedly asked to — can’t disavow “sharia” even if they wanted to. Sharia, roughly translated as Islamic law, includes guidelines on how to pray, fast and otherwise observe what it means to submit to God in daily practice….
Rooster says
You shouldn’t have to assimilate to belong? Is there an oxymoron in there somewhere? Georgetown Professor needs to belong back to where he came from. You come to America then you abide by our Constitution which does NOT allow for sharia!
PRCS USN (ret) says
Muslims shouldn’t have to assimilate to belong
Given that Islam’s ultimate goal is to subjugate all mankind under the hegemony of Islamic law, of course not.
somehistory says
“In Texas, a state hearing on social studies becomes a clash of religions”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in-texas-a-state-hearing-on-social-studies-becomes-a-clash-of-religions/ar-AA20uzLg?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69d7fee43d174921b7bf6b269ae50782&ei=8
Troybeam says
Islam is not a religion, that has to be established so that “religion issue” cannot be in play.
Rick Gordon says
As noted, “Sharia isn’t simply about “guidelines on how to pray, fast and otherwise observe what it means to submit to God in daily practice,” and that it asserts authority over non-Muslims and institutionalizes discrimination against non-Muslims in numerous ways.”
To me, the 1st Amendment allows (tolerates) all of us to practice whatever religious choice we make – but does not allow a faith to dominate other faiths or for the government to support one faith over all others.
The United States, by history, government, and culture is a Judeo-Christian country. That simply states that our founding was based on the Ten Commandments as interpreted by incredibly forward-thinking individuals 250 years ago. Those who wish to join our ‘experiment” ought to be willing to engage and accept our melting pot – but they do not have to give up their faith – just don’t force it on others.
PRCS USN (ret) says
Our Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees the right to believe. Or not.
It does not greenlight practices–religious or otherwise–that violate U.S. law.
James Lincoln says
PRCS USN (ret),
100% true.
Nabil Bissada says
“Muslim Washington Post columnist: ‘Practicing Muslims can’t disavow ‘sharia’ even if they wanted to’”
“Muslims shouldn’t have to assimilate to belong,” by Shadi Hamid, Washington Post, April 8, 2026:
This article is full of lies.
If Islam and the sharia law are acceptable by Muslims. Why always Muslims do their best to escape from their Muslims countries to live in the Christian countries.
We will never forget the hundreds of thousands of the citizens of Afghanistan when they were trying to leave their country after USA withdraw and replaced by Taliban who are practicing the sharia law as is.
I will never believe any Muslim living in the western countries and try to proclaim that Islam, Koran and sharia law are good.
If you want the sharia law, leave now to any Muslim country. If you are coward to leave the Christian country where you are living to live in a Muslim country who is practicing the sharia law, please “SHUT UP”.
Enough is Enough.
The Sharia law cannot be acceptable by the animal rescue.
Millions of Muslims who are living in a Muslims counties quit Islam because of the sharia law.
Because I understand Islam, I have islamophobia.
For more Information please visit:
BOX OF ISLAM “DR. HAMID ABDELSAMID
BROTHER RASHID.
SHEIKH MUHAMMED SALEH.
EL FADI T.V. REV PASTOR. DR ZAKARIA BOUTROS
MUHAMMED ZOHEIRI.
KORAN AND THE SHARIA LAW BY ARABIC LANGUAGE.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY TRANSLATION TO THE EUROPEAN LANGUAGE THEY CHANGING TO BE ACCEPTABLE.
Wellington says
Chief problem here in America remains. The chief problem is not Islam with all its freedom-crushing, control-freak, regularly annoying, self-pitying and parasitic proclivities. No, the chief problem is all the foolish, ignorant and stupid non-Muslims in America who keep making excuses for the spiritual version of Nazism and which pre-dated Nazism by some 1300 years. Leading the way in this “effort” to sanitize a religion which should never be sanitized is the Democratic Party, just as the Democratic Party presently is the dying Iranian regime’s single best ally.
I know on numerous occasions here at JW I have hit this theme about just how awful the Democratic Party has become to the USA (and not just about Islam but about so much else, including illegal immigration, America’s borders and much gender nonsense) but I will continue to do so until huge numbers of registered Democrats cease to be registered Democrats (and yes, I understand this might not happen though it definitely should happen).
No single development could ensure the survival of America more so than the effective destruction of the modern Democratic Party. There is simply no way to be an informed American patriot and remain a Democrat, and this even goes for Senator Fetterman of Pennsylvania who, as Scott Jennings said just today, is the last reasonable Democrat in America. That number needs to go from one to none.
PRCS USN (ret) says
I was so disgusted watching Virginia’s Chief Justice, Cleo E. Powell, say “place your left hand on the Qur’an” as she administered the oath of office to Virginia’s Lt. Governor, Ghazala Hashmi.
Wellington says
Yes, an extra disgusting moment. Might as well have placed one’s hand on Mein Kampf.
The infiltration continues and the chief villains here are not the outright evil people but the willfully ignorant people.
James Lincoln says
Wellington says,
“There is simply no way to be an informed American patriot and remain a Democrat, and this even goes for Senator Fetterman of Pennsylvania…”
Yes.
And to your point, Democrat party officials in Pennsylvania are planning to “primary” Sen. Fetterman in 2028.
They want him gone…
Hugh Fitzgerald says
What came over the Washington Post, to make this mythomane a columnist? Is this the same paper that publishes George Will and published the late Charles Krauthammer?
For Shadi Hamid, just a few questions:
What do you think of the Qur’anic passage that tells Muslims that they are “the best of peoples”?
What do you think of he Qur’aniic passage that tells Muslims that non-Muslim are “he most vile of created beings”?
What do you think of the Qur’anic passage thast instructs Muslims not to take Christians or Jews as friends, “for they are friends only with each other”?
What do you think of the Qur’anic pasage that insructs Muslims, when they meet Unbelievers, to “strike at their necks”?
What do you think of the Qur’anic passage that tells Muslim husbands that they can “beat” their wives if they even suspect them of being “disobedient”?
What do you think of Muhammad consummmating his marriage — having sexual intercourse with little Aisha — when he was fifty-four and she was nine?
What do you think of Muhammad wishing aloud for someone to kill three people who had mocked him — Asma bint Marwan, Abu Afak, K’ab bin al-Ashraf — and three of his followers, to please him, did.
James Lincoln says
Hugh Fitzgerald,
Just goes to show how far the Washington Post has fallen.
It is now fake news.
Tony says
Islam is Islamic Law. Muslims live daily life based on Islamic Law, not the Qur’an, because the Qur’an is insufficient for Muslim guidance. Islamic Law is totalitarian, pedophilic, discriminatory, segregationist, violent, and terroristic against Non-Muslims and is based on: the Qur’an, the Hadith, the Sira, existing Legal Rulings, etc. Because Islamic Law is totalitarian and discriminatory, Muslims impose Islam on Non-Muslims to gain ultimate, supremacist power and control by Muslims under Islamic Law. Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…”
Winston 101 says
Tony.
Exactly said. “Islam is Islamic Law”.
Thank you.
You cannot take the Sharia out of Islam. If you could it would no longer be Islam.
Can you take the wet out of water?
somehistory says
“lhan Omar under fire after new reports — what’s really going on?
New reports and whistleblower claims are raising fresh questions around Ilhan Omar’s political network and the growing concerns coming out of Minneapolis. In this commentary, Ben breaks down why these stories keep following the same pattern in American politics — insiders benefit, communities struggle, and working Americans are left paying the bill. ”
The snake agrees with the muzzie at the wapo.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/ilhan-omar-under-fire-after-new-reports-what-s-really-going-on/vi-AA1RZxn7?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69d828894a3f497692350ea78cba6d49&ei=9
Tim gallagher says
Muslims can’t disavow sharia. That’s a bloody good reason to slam the door shut on Muslims as the Hungarians and poles have very wisely done. Islam is poison. It is nothing but neverending hate. No golden rule, no live and let live, just hate. There’s that song by the okanes titled when we’re gone, long gone with lyrics when we’re gone, long gone the only thing that will have mattered is the love that we shared and the way that we cared, when we’re gone, long gone. Not for Muslims. It is all hate, hate, hate that Muslims are taught is hate.
OLD GUY says
Sharia is rules for the muslim migration invasion and control of citizens. No sharia in America.
Controse says
So there you have it. There are no degrees of Muslims. You live by the Qur’an or you don’t. If you don’t you are not a Muslim. Now all we have to do to save Western Civilization from this scourge is get our thought leaders to quit pretending.
Ralph says
My otherwise peaceful evening has been spoiled by learning that the Lt. Governor of Virginia is a Mooslime. How far we as a nation have fallen. Common sense having fled, the 2d Amendment is our safety net.
Broken Arrow says
The true believers never assimilate. Through their stealth marching orders and jihad, they always seek to destroy, conquer, kill, assassinate and dominate everything and everyone that is not a Muslim or of Islam. The final mission goal is to have the entire world bend their knees to Allah, and for absolute and complete global Islamic domination.
gravenimage says
Muslim Washington Post columnist: “Practicing Muslims can’t disavow ‘sharia’ even if they wanted to”
……………………………………………
Grimly true…