I felt I had to state something in reply to the quarks definition being painted with a brush of prejudice and misunderstanding. And as a Muslim woman I am more than qualified.
First of all as far as the cutting off of hands for stealing I seen to remember something about other possible punishments (can't remember exactly what they were but I think it was stuff like giving in charity and the like) in case the person that stole also made an honest living doing some kind of handiwork. After all you would not want to destroy a person's way of making an honest living.
Secondly, Sharia has two sets of rules. One set that applies to everyone that covers the more civil aspects and another that covers the more religious aspects of life. A Christian or Jewish woman living amongst Muslims would not be required to wear a veil and a Christian store owner would be allowed to sell pork and alcohol to other Christians if he so wishes.
Thirdly as far as Adultery and Fornication are concerned a person, male or female, is not supposed to be killed for having sex if she is single. Only if she cheated on her husband she is to be killed and if she catches him in bed with another woman he is to be killed. Otherwise, she might be supposed to get 100 lashes but she is still alive after. And anyways nobody gets away with something forever. Even if a man doesn't get caught and therfore punished in this life he surely will in the next unless he repents his sins. And the woman if she repents will end up in Paradise when she finishes her life. Of course since you are an athiest you probably believe this life is all you have so of course it would seem unfair to you.
Lastly, I just want to make a comment about your comment, "Any system of law that kills women for having sex with men they love is wrong". A woman is most definately allowed to have sex with the man she loves if it is her husband. A lot better than a society where a woman is nothing but a sex object to most men. In western society men can have sex with a woman without any strings attached. They are the ones that truly benifit from modern society. After all it is like free sex for them insted of having to take responsibility for it.
Anyways, in closing I would just like to mention that some recent interpretations of Sharia would be far from what is acceptable in the religion itself. But that is just the fault of the humans trying to implement it not of the system itself. Ideal Sharia would be a fair and just system.