As a divorce settlement is awarded for a non-legally recognised nikah, what does this ruling mean for UK marriage law?

Earlier this summer, the High Court ruled that the nikah of Nasreen Akhter and Mohammed Shabaz Khan fell within the scope of the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act, and therefore that Akhter was entitled to a divorce settlement. Detailed analysis of the case and the ruling raises questions about the status of religious law in UK courts, whether there is a need to reform existing marriage laws, and about the protection of women in non-legally recognised marriages.

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Ruling by high court that couple’s nikah falls within scope of UK marriage law could have significant implications for British Muslims

A recent ruling by the high court that a couple’s Islamic marriage falls within the scope of the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act could have significant implications for thousands of Muslims in the UK amid an ongoing debate concerning the relationship between UK marriage law and religious ceremonies.

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Lawsuits brought against NYC for forcing arrested Muslim women remove hijabs spark debates about religious freedom

Lawsuits brought against New York City by several Muslim women in the last few months, which claim their constitutional rights were violated when they were forced to remove their hijabs while in police custody, have raised debates about measures to protect religious freedom in public and private institutions.

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UK government’s ‘Integrated Communities Strategy’ draws criticism for its emphasis on minority communities and its ignorance of the effect of spending cuts

The ‘Integrated Communities Strategy’ green paper sets out “an ambitious long-term plan of action to tackle the root causes of poor integration and create a stronger, more united Britain”. It has invited submissions on this subject to its official consultation, which is running over the next twelve weeks. The paper has drawn criticism for its emphasis on minority communities, and ignorance of how spending cuts have hampered strategies already in place to achieve the paper’s proposed aims.

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U.S. national rhetoric plays significant role in the rise of anti-Muslim activities, think tank finds

The New America think tank’s data visualization project analyses 650 instances of anti-Muslim activity since 2012. It shows that national rhetoric in the USA has played a significant role in the rise of hate against Muslims in the country, particularly since the beginning of the 2016 election cycle.

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