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Since the National Constituent Assembly ratified the provisional constitution on August 1st, there have been increasing differences of opinion among critics of the constitution and supporters who view it as an historic step for Somalia.

Even though the constitution states that sharia law will be the main source of legislation in the country, some Islamic scholars take issue with certain parts of the document.

Deputy Chairman of the Somali Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Nur Barud says some of the articles of the constitution are inconsistent with the teachings of Islam.

"This new constitution does not guarantee the preservation of religious and national values of Somali people, so we request that it be revised," he said.

"We want this new constitution to be compatible with Islamic sharia and articles have to be amended so they are aligned with sharia law, especially those related to [personal] freedoms and the absolute [exclusive] role of women," Barud told Sabahi.

There are other criticisms coming from non-religious sources concerning the method of distributing resources among the regions, the status of the capital Mogadishu, and Somalia's borders -- all issues that were not addressed by the new constitution.

"The status of the capital and the issue of the country's borders are not clear under the new constitution," said Mogadishu-based analyst Mohamed Nur Osman. "These issues require more clarification because ambiguity on such matters is unacceptable."

"We have to resolve these issues because we cannot accept a document that ignores the standing of the nation's capital and its borders," Osman told Sabahi.

Osman said the draft constitution was not shown to all segments of Somali society before it was raised to the National Constituent Assembly, and the assembly did not have power to change anything, so it approved the draft without any amendments or additions.

Constitution 'closer' to sharia than its predecessors

Mohamud Hussein, an expert in constitutional law who teaches at several universities in Mogadishu, does not think that the contents of the new constitution merits such hype and controversy.

"Of course mistakes are made when formulating a new constitution because this process is manmade," he told Sabahi. "The most important thing, however, is to correct mistakes, wherever they are and to move forward."

"This still is an interim constitution and will not be final until it is put to a national referendum," Hussein said.

He said the next parliament will be responsible for addressing the issues that were not included in the draft constitution, and then it will be put to a national referendum as soon as the security conditions permit.

"This new constitution is closer to Islamic sharia than its predecessors and it is a constitution based on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and states its support for an indivisible and unified Somali nation," Hussein said.

"The problem lies in the fact that many Somalis have not actually read the new constitution and therefore consider it to be far removed from the teachings of Islamic sharia," he said, adding that Somalis should read and understand the new constitution before criticising it.

The Qur'an as basis of government

Omar Abdirahman, an Islamic studies teacher in Mogadishu, said the holy book suffices to serve as Somalia's constitution.

"The Somali people are 100% Muslim and have a complete heavenly constitution, which is the holy Qur'an, and I do not think there is a need to adopt this controversial constitution," he said.

Abdirahman asked, "Why do we not resort to the Qur'an as the basis for governance instead of preoccupying ourselves with a constitution that causes such huge controversy"?

But Omar Abdiqadir, a political analyst and university professor who lives in Mogadishu, said the ratification of the new constitution is an historic step for Somalia's future.

"I hope that this constitution takes Somalia in the right direction and that it serves as the key to building a prosperous Somalia whose citizens have suffered from civil war, violence, terrorism and piracy and are only now enjoying the taste of peace and stability," Abdiqadir said.

"The importance of the new constitution lies not only in steering in a new political era in this country after the transitional phase comes to a close, but also as it is a new social contract that regulates the relationship between citizens and the state in all areas -- a fact that should take hold in the minds of all Somalis," he told Sabahi.