Former Dutch Lawmaker Ayaan Hirsi Demands Abolishing UK's Sharia Law Court; Elon Musk Reacts
Former Dutch Parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali has called for the abolition of Sharia courts in Britain, describing their existence as ‘absolutely outrageous”. While talking to GBN America, she condemned the operation of Shaira courts as ‘parallel system’ alongside Britain law.
The Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reacted to the Ayaan Hirsi’ request and asked about the number of such courts in UK. While taking to social media ‘X’, the CEO wrote, “How many Sharia Law Courts are there in the UK?”
How many Sharia Law courts are there in the UK? @CommunityNotes https://t.co/nJeLudtEyn
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025
Hirsi said, “You have allowed an entire parallel system to take place of a population that has refused to assimilate”.
She emphasised that Britain should maintain only one legal system that applies equally to everyone, pointing to British common law as the appropriate framework. She also emphasised the urgency to protect British national heritage and identity through a unified legal system.
Reportedly, Britain has become the ‘western capital’ for Sharia courts, with 85 Islamic councils operating across the country since the first was established in 1982.
An estimated 100,000 Islamic marriages have been conducted in Britain, with many not officially registered with civil authorities. The councils serve as informal bodies, particularly focused on marriage dissolutions and divorces.
Earlier attempts at regulating Sharia Courts have faced challenges, with Theresa May’s government refusing to implement a regulator.
Baroness Cox, a cross-bench peer, has previously attempted to address these issues through a private members’ bill. She described sharia councils as a ‘rapidly developing alternative quasi-legal system”.
The Muslim Women’s Network charity plans to propose a code of conduct in 2025 to improve standards at Britain‘s Sharia Councils.
