Islamic expansion .... a reality in West ::: United Kingdom is new 'western capital' for Islamic rulings .... Has as many as 85 Sharia courts

Britain is now home to 85 Sharia courts that rule on family matters of marriage and divorce. 

Stephen Evans, chief executive of National Secular Society (UK), warned that these councils "undermine the principle of one law for all" and negatively impact women's and children's rights.

"It should be remembered that sharia councils only exist because Muslim women need them to obtain a religious divorce. Muslim men do not need them because they can unilaterally divorce their wife," Evans stated.

Sharia was defined in an official review by theologian Professor Mona Siddiqui as jurisprudence based on Islamic scholars' opinions from the time of Mohammed in the 7th century until the 13th century.

With Muslims from North America and Europe coming to appeal to these Islamic councils, Britain is emerging as the "western capital" for sharia courts. 

Getty Image: gbnews.com 

Of course, some people are smiling but there are organisations who are expressing concern.  

Many aspects of traditional sharia have been modified in most Muslim countries, but classical rulings are frequently still observed in marriage and divorce matters.

The councils have religious authority to end marriages at a wife's request if her husband is unwilling to grant a divorce, though this process differs significantly from civil proceedings.

Men seeking Islamic divorces can end their marriages simply by saying "divorce" three times, highlighting a stark contrast in gender-based religious procedures.

The normalisation of polygamy is evident through modern technology, with an app allowing Muslim men in England and Wales to create Islamic wills. 

The app features a drop-down menu enabling men to specify between one and four wives.

This same app demonstrates further gender disparities, allocating daughters half the inheritance amount given to sons.

It's Ting Tong time ... virtually !!

The National Secular Society has expressed concerns about the existence of a parallel legal system, according to The Times, UK. The first sharia council was established in 1982.

Britain is emerging as the "western capital" for sharia courts, with 85 Islamic councils across the country. These religious bodies hold immense influence, and Muslims from across Europe and North America are seeking rulings on marriage and family matters. 

The Islamic Sharia Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is based in Leyton, east London, and is a registered charity that provides nikah (marriage) services, talaq (initiated by husband) and khula (initiated by wife) divorce procedures.  

The sharia councils are even promoting nikah mut'ah or pleasure marriage, and controversial anti-women ideas.

There is also an application where Islamic laws can be created by Muslims living in England and Wales.

In the application, men can choose from a drop-down menu how many wives they have, which is somewhere from one to four. This has also been approved by the Sharia court, reported The Times, UK.

100,000 ISLAMIC MARRIAGES IN BRITAIN REMAIN UNREGISTERED

These sharia courts in the UK consist of panels of Islamic scholars, who are mostly male. They serve as informal bodies and issue religious rulings on divorces and other matters related to marriage.

Theologian and Professor Mona Siddiqui stated that Sharia is jurisprudence based on the opinions of Islamic scholars from the time of Prophet Mohammed from the 7th century to the 13th century.

According to data, around 100,000 Islamic marriages have taken place in Britain and these have not been registered with civil authorities.

Islamic marriages also require rulings for dissolution, particularly for women who seek approval of the religious council for divorce.

Most Muslim countries have modified Sharia, but in the case of marriage and divorce, they accept the classical rulings, reported The Times.

The grounds for granting divorce at a wife's request are if the husband is not willing to divorce her, this process is significantly different to civil proceedings.

One of Britain's most prominent sharia courts was founded by Haitham al-Haddad, who has faced criticism for his controversial views.

Al-Haddad was among British scholars who visited the Taliban after they recaptured Afghanistan.

In online lectures about failing marriages in 2009, he stated: "A man should not be questioned why he hit his wife because this is something between them. Leave them alone. They can sort out their matters among themselves."

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