Let’s start by making it clear that the practices of Muslims may be in harmony or in conflict with Shari`ah. Therefore, to know shari`ah, you must study it through its basic sources, the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Unfortunately, few of Muslims who do apply Shari`ah as a way of life. It is our responsibility, as Muslims, to know the rules of Allah and put them into practice with sincerity. But before anything, we should ask ourselves if we are really practicing justice. Are we really fair to others, to our spouses, to our relatives, to our neighbors, employees, employers, to Muslims, to other human beings, to animals, to anything and everything? Are we really compassionate people? Are we really increasing in compassion or are we becoming angry, hateful, arrogant, or complacent about ourselves? We must improve ourselves in justice and compassion. If we do not have `adl (justice) and ihsan (compassion) or rahmah (mercy), then we are not practicing the Shari`ah. Similarly, if we think that we are following the law of Allah but the result is injustice and lack of compassion, then it means that we have not properly understood the law of Allah or we are not interpreting it right.
What applies to Muslim individuals applies also to Muslim countries, it’s the duty of the Muslim countries to apply Shari`ah, in its broad sense, to all aspects of life. In most of, if not all, Muslim countries there are practices which are against the teachings of Shari`ah. These mistakes should not be understood as a part of Shari`ah itself.