Sharia is a set of Islamic laws that are based on the Qur'an, and responsible for dictating the rules of behavior for Muslims.
In Arabic, sharia can be literally translated as “way to the source”, and is currently adopted in several countries with a predominance of Islamic culture, either in full or in part.
In Saudi Arabia, for example, the sharia is integral, that is, the country uses Islamic laws as the only source for defining its legislation. In this case, sharia forms the constitution of that nation.
In countries where sharia dominates, there is no separation between religion and citizens' rights, as in Western countries.
All laws in these countries are based on the religious principles of Islam and the teachings left by the prophet Mohammed in the Koran, the holy book of Islam.
However, most Islamic countries adopt the so-called dual sharia. The government is officially secular, but there are special courts that only try Muslims, based on sharia law.
Non-Muslims, however, should not be subjected to this legislation, but to the one provided for by the secularist government.
Find out more about the meaning of Secular State.
There are countries that adopt sharia at different levels, that is, they may not adopt it in its entirety. For example, some countries adopt sharia guidelines on divorce but do not adopt certain punishments for women. In some Islamic countries it is recommended for women to wear the hijab (a kind of veil that covers the woman's head) and the act of driving a car is culturally reprehensible.
Sharia in Brazil
Brazil is officially a laic State, as the Federal Constitution provides for total freedom for all religious beliefs of its citizens.
The laws of the Brazilian state are not based on religious principles.
Learn more about the meaning of Islam.
