From Pakistan to Bangladesh...Why there uproar over Sharia law in India's neighborhood?

Uproar Over Sharia Law: The Islamabad High Court allowed a 15-year-old girl to live with her husband, while efforts are underway in Bangladesh to garner political support for Sharia law. In its 24-page decision, the court stated that while Sharia law does not consider the marriage of a minor invalid, it is a crime. According to Sharia law, if a girl attains adulthood and marries of her own free will, the marriage is considered valid.

However, the Islamabad Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 clearly states that marriage under the age of 18 is a crime. Also Read: ‘Cough syrup not contaminated’: MP Deputy CM on death of six children in Chhindwara Meanwhile, Maulana Mamunul Haq, leader of Bangladesh's Khilafat Majlis, stated in an interview that 70% to 80% of the country's population wanted Sharia law. He cited a survey by the National Consensus Commission. However, the Consensus Commission refuted this, stating that the survey did not include any questions related to Sharia law.

How many countries apply Sharia law?

Approximately 50 Muslim-majority countries in the world have laws that reference Sharia, but these can be divided into three categories. The first category includes countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sudan, and Afghanistan, where Sharia law is strictly enforced and is the supreme law. There are approximately 7 to 10 countries in total, including Yemen, Mauritania, and Brunei. Also Read: Final voter list released in Bihar after SIR, Patna's voter count increases by 1.63 lakh in the list

The second category includes countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Indonesia, and Malaysia, where Sharia law applies only to personal matters (marriage, divorce, and inheritance), while civil law prevails in other matters.

Summary

The third category includes countries like India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore, where Sharia law is applied only to Muslims in certain specific cases. In the modern era, most Muslim countries have adopted European legal systems, and Sharia law has become limited to personal laws.