Oklahoma (US), Jan 11 (ANI): The US state of Oklahoma has been ordered not to introduce an amendment to its constitution that bans judges from considering Islamic law in deciding cases.
The ban on Islamic law was approved by 70 percent of voters in a referendum in 2010.
But a Muslim community leader who said the amendment violated his constitutional right to freedom of religion challenged it, The BBC reports.
Muneer Awad, the head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Oklahoma, filed a suit saying that the amendment would affect every aspect of his life, including his will and testament.
The author of the amendment, Republican state representative Rex Duncan, had argued that it was not intended as an attack on Muslims, but was rather a "pre-emptive strike" preventing the application of Sharia law.
But a federal appeals court backed an injunction imposed by Judge Vicky Miles-Lagrange shortly after the referendum in November 2010, and said Awad had made a "strong showing" of potential harm should the amendment come into effect.
"When the law that voters wish to enact is likely 'unconstitutional', their interests do not outweigh Awad's in having his constitutional rights protected," it said. (ANI)
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