Britain is becoming known as the “Western capital” for Sharia courts, with 85 of these Islamic institutions operating across the country. These courts are said to be normalizing practices like polygamy, granting daughters half the inheritance of sons, and allowing men to end marriages with just the utterance of “divorce” three times.
According to a report from The Times on December 19, Muslims from Europe and North America are increasingly seeking these courts in Britain. Stephen Evans, CEO of the National Secular Society, voiced concerns about “parallel legal systems” in the UK, stressing how they undermine the principle of one law for all and negatively impact women and children’s rights.
An estimated 100,000 “Islamic marriages” have been performed in Britain, many of which remain unregistered. A significant number are also believed to involve cousin marriages, with independent MP Iqbal Mohamed recently urging against their ban or stigmatization.
The article also discusses efforts to “regulate” Sharia courts. However, Peter Whittle, founder of the New Culture Forum, argued that these courts should be banned outright, as anything less would amount to tolerating a parallel legal system. This is especially concerning as polls show 32% of Muslims in the UK favor Sharia law.
Reform MP Rupert Lowe echoed these concerns, saying there should be “ZERO Sharia courts in the UK” and that anyone wishing to live in Britain should follow British laws—or leave. Party deputy leader Richard Tice added that banning these courts is part of their policy.
The growing media attention around Sharia courts has raised eyebrows. Henry Bolton, former leader of UKIP, expressed his satisfaction with the issue finally being discussed, recalling how it was considered “toxic” when he raised concerns about it in 2016-17.
