Court blocks Oklahoma’s Sharia ban

A judge in Oklahoma has temporarily blocked a voter-approved ban on the application of Islamic and international law in the state's courts.

The head of a Muslim rights group sued the state, saying the measure stigmatizes Muslims and violates the First Amendment, which prohibits the establishment of religion. U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange will decide whether to grant a longer injunction on Nov. 22.

"Today's ruling is a reminder of the strength of our nation's legal system and the protections it grants to religious minorities," Muneer Awad, director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a press release. "We are humbled by this opportunity to show our fellow Oklahomans that Muslims are their neighbors and that we are committed to upholding the U.S. Constitution and promoting the benefits of a pluralistic society."

In his request for an injunction, Awad argued that the ban on Islamic law, also called Sharia, would prevent the state's courts from recognizing his will, since he refers to Islamic principles in it. Wills that reference Christian or Jewish principles would not be subject to the same treatment, he argues.

Proponents of the law say it will guard against the possibility of Islamic fundamentalism infiltrating the courts, even though that has never happened in the state.

Read our explainer on the debate over the controversial ballot measure, which passed with 70 percent of the vote last week.

(Photo of Oklahoma voter: AP)