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Marja`iyah demands Islam be the source of law in Iraq const

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY NAJAF, Iraq: Marajay At-Taqlid, or objects of emulation, the top religious and spiritual leaders Ayatullah Muhammad Ishaq Al-Fayyaz and Ayatullah Ali Husseini As-Sistani, based in the holy city of Najaf, have demanded that Islam be the sole source of legislation in Iraq's new constitution.

Ayatullah Al-Fayyaz issued a statement setting out the position and Ayatullah As-Sistani made it known straight away that he backed demands for the Koran to be the reference point for legislation.

The national assembly formed after last month's historic elections is to oversee the drawing up of the new constitution and Ayatullah As-Sistani is the figurehead of the United Iraqi Alliance expected to become the largest single bloc.

The statement was released by Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahimi, a representative of Ayatullah Al-Fayyaz.

“All of the ulema (clergy) and marja, and the majority of the Iraqi people, want the national assembly to make Islam the source of legislation in the permanent constitution and to reject any law that is contrary to Islam,” said the statement.

A source close to Ayatullah As-Sistani announced soon after the release of the statement that the spiritual leader backed the demand.

“The marja has priorities concerning the formation of the government and the constitution. It wants the source of legislation to be Islam,” said the source.

Ibrahimi went on his statement: “We warn officials against a separation of the state and religion, because this is completely rejected by the ulema and marja and we will accept no compromise on this question.”

“If they (the government) want the stability and security of the country, they must not touch the country's Islamic values and traditions,” the statement concluded.

The role of Islam was a particular sticking point when an interim constitution was drawn up under the US-led occupation.

After often acrimonious debate and the threat of a veto by US administrator Paul Bremer, the final version completed in March last year said that Islam should be "a source" of legislation.

No law that "contradicts the universally agreed tenets of Islam" would be accepted, said the final draft.

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