Governor Greg Abbott has announced a ban on Sharia law and compounds in Texas.
Mr Abbott made this announcement on X, responding to a video of protesters carrying placards in support of Sharia law.
“I signed laws that BAN Sharia Law and Sharia Compounds in Texas,” Mr Abbott said, reacting to the viral video of Sharia law advocates. “No business and no individual should fear fools like this.”
The Texas governor added, “If this person, or ANYONE, attempts to impose Sharia compliance, report it to local law enforcement or the Texas Dept. of Public Safety.”
Houston area Islamic cleric demanding shopkeepers stop selling alcohol, pork, and lottery tickets to comply with Islamic Sharia laws.
Speaking with a megaphone in the video, said, “People should not violate the religion of Islam by selling products that are against our religion. Because we should love what Allah loves and hate what Allah hates.
“We will be visiting all the stores in the neighbourhood where the religion of Islam is ignored.”
Some X users, however, believed there was no need for the ban.
@JPanjehshahi said, “I don’t understand why we need new laws to prevent this. The bill of rights and the constitution is sufficient.”
However, @brucefenton noted that the Texas governor did not specifically mention Sharia or Sharia in any ban sanctioned.
“No. You didn’t. There’s no law you signed that mentions Sharia or Sharia Law,” he stated.
Another commenter, Alexander Duncan, writing via @AlexDuncanTX, said, “Then why did a Collin County Judge in 2021 defer a Muslim woman’s divorce case to a Sharia Court? Why are there Islamic prayer rooms in our airports? Why is there Halal food in Texas Schools? All of this is part of Sharia….”
A declaration was posted on the official X account of the governor’s press office on Monday.
“In Texas, we believe in equal rights under the law for all men, women, & children,” the post stated. “Any legal system that flouts human rights is BANNED in the state of Texas.”
Mr Abbott had earlier condemned a proposed development project ‘EPIC City’ by a local Muslim community in Texas. The proposed ‘city’ envisioned a neighbourhood with a mosque and school at its centre “that brings Islam to the forefront”.
In May this year, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a federal civil rights investigation into the Muslim-centred planned community around one of the state’s largest mosques north of Dallas.
Senator John Cornyn had requested the federal probe in April, citing concerns it could discriminate against Christians and Jews. He announced in a post on X that attorney general Pam Bondi had notified him of the investigation.
In March, the proposed development got the attention of state lawmakers and prompted an investigation by attorney general Ken Paxton.
The planned community could be built on top of 400 acres near Josephine between Collin and Hunt counties. It is described as “a community aimed at serving the needs of the Muslim community”, including 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, apartments, shops, and even a community college.
“The proposed community will never see the light of day,” said Mr Abbott in March.
The developers of the proposed planned community tied to the East Plano Islamic Centre, which has not yet been built, have said they are being bullied because they are Muslims.
