S YA R I A H C O U R T O F S I N G A P O R E
The word Syariah means the way to the watering place, or the righteous
path to follow. The Syariah, which is founded on the Quran and prophetic
traditions, represents the divine law that provides guidance on all areas of
Muslim believers’ lives. The main objective of the Syariah is to construct
human life on the basis of virtues and to cleanse it of vices. From the primary
sources of the Syariah, a codified rule of law, or hukum, developed over
centuries and continues to develop.
In Singapore, the Syariah legal system is applied to Muslim personal laws.
The Syariah Court, or Mahkamah Syar’iah, is the only institution administering
matters related to Muslim divorces and other matters arising from it. After
65 years, it still commits firmly to its Islamic traditions even as it strengthens
its capabilities to meet the future needs of the Muslim community.