". . . Syed Mumtaz Ali, a lawyer for the Islamic Institute for [should be 'of' and not 'for'] Civil Justice, said he was "delighted" with Boyd's findings and added that many of the 46 recommendations for strengthening the Arbitration Act came from him.

"It's a model for the whole world to see how sharia law can be used in a Western society," Mumtaz Ali said in an interview. He added that while sharia is a misnomer in terms of the type of family disputes at issue, he said it is the term most people recognize and associate with Muslim beliefs being applied through the law.

Mumtaz Ali said Muslim principles require Muslims to believe in one God and to commit to obeying the law in the country where they live. He said the advantage of sharia-type arbitration is that participants are compelled by their religious beliefs to uphold the law, an extra onus that will make for fair treatment of all parties in the dispute.

"Canadian laws prevail, sharia law takes a backseat," he said of the plan he envisions for arbitration.

He said many people in the community are anxious to proceed with sharia-based arbitration and plans have been in limbo awaiting Boyd's report.

Len Rudner of the Canadian Jewish Congress said the group felt Boyd struck a fair balance between the needs of the individuals and those of the community. "She appears to have done a good job of that," he said."