http://www.arabistjansen.nl/Arabist/What_is_Sharia.html
What is Sharia, where does it come from, and why does it matter so much?The Islamic Sharia is a system of law. It is a collection of prohibitions, admonitions and commands about human behavior. The Sharia is not an internal matter that only concerns Islam and Muslims. The Sharia includes a large number of provisions about people who are not Muslims. These rules are usually prohibitions that carry severe penalties if violated. These provisions of the Sharia make life unsafe and uncertain for someone who lives under Sharia law and who is not a Muslim.
Brussels, ICLA, July 9, 2012