London and the Sharia councils: debate over Islamic law in Britain's biggest city

London has become a focal point in debates over the role of Islamic religious law in Britain, anchored by a bland terraced house in East London that houses the Islamic Sharia Council, formed in 1982. It is one of at least five Sharia councils in the capital that issue rulings on disputes from marriage to divorce. The presence of these councils places London at the heart of a global conversation that drew renewed attention when Donald Trump used a United Nations speech to claim that London wants to adopt Sharia law under its mayor, Sadiq Khan. The claim is disputed by city and legal observers, who say there is no move to adopt Sharia as the capital’s legal system.

Sharia councils interpret Islamic law and issue fatwas, but their rulings do not have legal status in England and Wales. They typically address family, marital, or financial disputes through advisory rulings rather than criminal matters. A 2017 Home Office review counted 85 Sharia councils operating in the United Kingdom, with London described as a hub alongside Birmingham, Bradford, and Dewsbury. Many believe the total is higher because some councils operate informally in mosque back rooms.

One case that has fed the debate involved Tafida Raqeeb, a five-year-old with severe brain damage. A fatwa from the Islamic Sharia Council stated it was absolutely impermissible to remove life support. In his ruling, a High Court judge noted that he benefited from the fatwa while deciding to allow continued treatment. Secular campaigners argued that such fatwas could gain legitimacy in English law, even though the judge said the fatwa functioned as a restatement of the sanctity of life rather than a directive.

Critics say that such councils amount to a parallel civil system and can discriminate against women. A 2020 House of Commons Library report cited cases in which some councils appeared to act in ways that disadvantages women, including reports that wives were asked to pay husbands to secure a divorce. Proponents insist that Sharia councils resolve disputes in a culturally appropriate way and avoid costly civil litigation; they stress that the councils’ rulings carry no legal force in England and Wales.

The debate over Sharia councils has also intersected with broader questions about free expression and religious sensitivities. In a high-profile incident, a protester named Hamit Coskun was slashed with a knife during a confrontation outside the Turkish consulate. The attacker was spared jail, prompting free-speech campaigners to argue that the case reflected tensions around religion and blasphemy. Advocates for secularism cautioned against treating religiously motivated violence as permissible protest, while supporters of religiously affiliated dispute mechanisms noted that criminal matters remain under the civil and criminal courts and that fatwas themselves do not govern state law.

Other religions run their own tribunals in the United Kingdom. The Church of England handles certain church property and clergy matters under its own framework; Jewish communities maintain Beth Din courts for civil and religious issues; and the Roman Catholic Church operates tribunals on spiritual questions and marriage annulments. The presence of these bodies is part of a broader pattern in Britain in which religious communities offer parallel forms of dispute resolution alongside national law.

Trump’s comments about Sharia in London drew swift pushback from Mayor Khan, who criticized the remarks as racist and Islamophobic. Khan said he did not understand what Trump meant by Sharia and noted that he was publicly involved in events marking Rosh Hashanah and Pride at the time the remarks circulated. Khan’s office had previously stated that a quote misattributed to him about Sharia was fabricated, and the mayor has repeatedly said that any formal link between London and Sharia law would be incorrect.

In the British political sphere, some commentators sought to minimize the issue. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, speaking on LBC, argued that Sharia is not an overwhelming issue in London and that the mayor is not responsible for any official policy on the matter. He urged that Trump’s comments should not be taken literally.

Despite the ongoing debate, officials emphasize that Sharia councils operate independently and have no legal status in England and Wales. They argue the councils provide culturally sensitive dispute resolution that may complement existing civil courts rather than replace them. The government has long said it respects religious freedom while maintaining the supremacy of national law. London, a city of deep diversity, continues to host a range of religious tribunals alongside a robust secular legal system as part of its everyday civic landscape.