Sharia

Landmark Ruling: Malaysian Federal Court Declares Kelantan State Sharia Laws Unconstitutional

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Malaysian federal court ruled on Friday that several Kelantan state Sharia laws are unconstitutional. The decision came after lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Natasha Tengku Abdul Rahman, filed a petition challenging the constitutionality of provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 which dealt with offenses such as destroying places of worship, sodomy, sexual harassment, use of intoxicating substances, incest, and others. The petition was based on Article 4 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution, which states that any law inconsistent with … Read more

Malaysia’s Top Court Rules Dozens of Islamic Laws Unconstitutional, Ignites Controversy Over Sharia Legal System

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PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – Malaysia’s highest court has declared more than a dozen Islamic laws in the state of Kelantan unconstitutional, citing their infringement on federal authority. The decision, reached by an 8-1 judgment of the Federal Court, has stirred debate, with some conservative Muslim critics suggesting that it could undermine the country’s Sharia legal system. Among the 16 laws deemed “void and invalid” are those related to sodomy, sexual harassment, intoxication, incest, and defiling or destroying a place of worship. Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat emphasized that the verdict should not be interpreted as … Read more