About this episode

The episode discusses the introduction of Sharia law in Aceh, Indonesia, featuring insights from Azwar Abubakar, the acting governor during its implementation.

Aceh in Sumatra is the only Indonesian province where Sharia Law, Islamic religious law, is in force. It followed years of conflict between Aceh and the central government. In Arabic, Sharia means "the clear, well-trodden path to water". It is derived from the Quran, Islam's holy book and from the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Interpretation of Islamic law is nuanced according to local culture and customs, which means the application of Sharia Law may look quite different from country to country. Azwar Abubakar was the acting governor of Aceh who oversaw the first implementation of Sharia Law - a public caning - on 24 June 2005. He speaks to Surya Elango. (Photo: Azwar Abubakar. Credit: Tarmizy Harva via Reuters) Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation…

People in this episode

Host: Surya Elango

Guest: Azwar Abubakar

Topics covered

• Sharia Law
• Aceh
• Islamic law
• conflict
• cultural customs

Keywords

• Sharia law
• Aceh
• Indonesia
• Islam
• Azwar Abubakar

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Quran

Places: Aceh, Indonesia, Sumatra

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