The West employs the rules of Islamic Sharia while at the same time misinforming its citizens about the true nature of Islam, said Hisham Islam, a member of the World Federation of Muslim Scholars. During the global financial crisis, Vatican officials expressed support for the application of some tenets of the Islamic economic system – particularly usury regulations, he added. The French campaign in Egypt – from 1798 to 1801 – borrowed principles from Islamic Sharia and later applied them in France, Islam said. Non-Muslims enjoyed full rights during periods of Islamic rule, Islam claims. While Islam requires followers to strive for justice, Sharia is not strictly about laws and punishment, Islam said. Rather, it is a complete method for life. He added later that punishment in Sharia is important, and it must be applied to reduce societal crime. Islam offered these opinions during a talk at a seminar in Salah din Mosque in Minya.
