Al-Andalus Caliphate Government Sim Opens in Second Life; Judiciary to Be Based on Islamic Law

Al-Andalus Caliphate Government Sim Opens in Second Life; Judiciary to Be Based on Islamic Law

September 13th, 2007 by Benjamin Duranske

Al-Andalus Caliphate, a private government sim based on what its creator says are “authentic Islamic principles,” has opened in Second Life. Here is a SLURL to the build. Al-Andalus plans to eventually incorporate a functioning judiciary, based on Islamic law.

Al-Andalus joins Caledon, the Confederation of Democratic Simulators, and others, as quasi-governmental systems in Second Life. It is a creation of ‘Michel Manen,’ who has been involved in other government and judicial projects in the virtual world.

From the Al-Andalus Caliphate announcement:

The Al-Andalus Caliphate Project reconstructs 13th Century Moor Alhambra and builds around this virtual space a community of individuals willing to explore the modalities of interaction between different languages, nationalities, religions and cultures within a political and juridical space shaped by authentic Islamic principles.

Developer ‘Manen’ said that over 200 avatars visited during the opening ceremonies, including ‘Robin Linden’ (Robin Harper, Linden Lab’s VP of Marketing and Community Development). The event featured music, tours, and a presentation by Second Life commentator ‘Gwyneth Llewelyn’ on Portugal’s e-Justice alternative dispute resolution facility that recently opened in-world.

The term “Caliphate” refers to a unified Islamic government, and as such, the build will likely be controversial. ‘Manen’ says that the term “corresponds to an authentic Islamic politico-legal system representing an alternative world view.” He says that “without understanding the fundamentals of Islamic law and politics we will never be able to fully come to terms with the diversity and richness of today’s Islamic societies, whose roots reach back 1000 years.”

According to ‘Manen,’ Al-Andalus will have a judiciary, and it will be based on Islamic law, specifically “leading edge research of how authentic Islamic legal principles can be applied in a 21st century context, and be compatible with universal ideals of dignity, equality, democracy, participation and human rights.”

‘Manen’ says, “many such strands exist in an extremely rich and diverse history of Islamic jurisprudence going back to the origins of the Ku’ran, and a lot of research is being done by scholars in Europe and North America, as well as the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.” He says that his goal is “to pull this debate together and try to apply it in Second Life.” Which, he says, “is much easier and less dangerous than in real life.”