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Central Standard

The Rise Of Anti-Sharia Legislation

Most religions have rules, guidance, law of some kind. Christians look to the teachings of Jesus, or the commandments. Jewish people turn to Torah. And Muslims look to Shariah—the code of Islamic law that guides everything from what to eat and how to dress to bigger questions—like resolving marital disputes, or punishing violent crimes.

Guests Raj Bhala, a Rice Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for International and Comparative Law, University of Kansas School of Law; Mahnaz Shabbir, an active member of the local Muslim community, past president of the Heartland Muslim Council; and Ryan Boyer, a law student at KU, explore why American legislatures and the U.S. Congress are talking—and have been talking for years—about religious law.

They also explore just what Sharia is and why it matters. And we’ll hear why so many states have made a point of banning Sharia. Kansas has already done so and—if the governor signs the bill waiting on his desk—Missouri will too.

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As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
Every part of the present has been shaped by actions that took place in the past, but too often that context is left out. As a podcast producer for KCUR Studios and host of the podcast A People’s History of Kansas City, I aim to provide context, clarity, empathy and deeper, nuanced perspectives on how the events and people in the past have shaped our community today.

In that role, and as an occasional announcer and reporter, I want to entertain, inform, make you think, expose something new and cultivate a deeper shared human connection about how the passage of time affects us all. Reach me at hogansm@kcur.org.
Matthew Long-Middleton has been a talk-show producer, community producer, Media Training Manager and now the Community Engagement Manager at KCUR. You can reach him at Matthew@kcur.org, or on Twitter @MLMIndustries.