As for not standing before the judge, in US courts, protocol is adjusted to account for religous beliefs, e.g. you don't have to swear on the bible if your religion doesn't allow it. I suppose it's the same in the UK?
You don't have to swear on the Bible in a British court if you don't want to, in fact there are some Christian sects that consider oaths to be wicked. You can "affirm" instead.
The Luton defendants claimed it was a 'grave and cardinal sin' to show anyone other than Allah respect by standing. Eventually, a compromise was reached where they would enter the court after her. However, some Muslim scholars say that there is nothing in the Koran that forbids standing in court to show respect. I know a Muslim who is a magistrate (and a mosque elder) and everybody has to stand when he comes in!
It is instructive to compare this with the situation in the Christian religion: there are branches that consider certain things throughly wicked, not always with very much Biblical foundation, and others that don't. Homosexuality, abortion, ordination of women, contraception, blood transfusion, spring to mind.
