But furious Tories said the step “pandered to Islamic extremists”. MP Philip Davies said: “There can be only one legal system — British law. This will lead to a segregated society.”
Powers of Sharia judges have been sanctioned at five courts in London, Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester and Nuneaton, Warwicks.
Powers of Sharia judges have been sanctioned at five courts in London, Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester and Nuneaton, Warwicks.
Two more are planned for Glasgow and Edinburgh. If both parties in a dispute agree to abide by their rulings, they are enforceable with the full power of the judicial system.
Sheikh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi, whose Muslim Arbitration Tribunal runs the courts, used a clause in the Arbitration Act 1996. It allows Sharia hearings to be classed as ‘arbitration tribunals’.
But Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: “If these tribunals are passing binding decisions I would consider such action unlawful.”
Earlier this year, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams suggested that the use of Sharia in Britain “seems unavoidable”.
Sheikh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi, whose Muslim Arbitration Tribunal runs the courts, used a clause in the Arbitration Act 1996. It allows Sharia hearings to be classed as ‘arbitration tribunals’.
But Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: “If these tribunals are passing binding decisions I would consider such action unlawful.”Earlier this year, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams suggested that the use of Sharia in Britain “seems unavoidable”.
But as well as civil disputes they have also handled six cases of domestic violence.
The Justice Ministry confirmed arbitration decisions were enforceable, but denied Sharia law was part of the law of England and Wales.
The Justice Ministry confirmed arbitration decisions were enforceable, but denied Sharia law was part of the law of England and Wales.
But critics fear Muslim women victims will be pressured into accepting a sharia court settlement, and husbands will escape with lighter punishments than in a mainstream criminal court.
In one recent inheritance dispute in Nuneaton, a Muslim man's estate was spit was between three daughters and two sons with each son receiving twice as much as each daughter - in keeping with sharia law.
In one recent inheritance dispute in Nuneaton, a Muslim man's estate was spit was between three daughters and two sons with each son receiving twice as much as each daughter - in keeping with sharia law.
In a mainstream court all siblings would have been treated equally.
Douglas Murray, the director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, condemned the latest development as 'appalling.'
'I don’t think arbitration that is done by sharia should ever be endorsed or enforced by the British state.'
Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'These tribunals have no place in passing binding decisions in divorce or criminal justice hearings.
'Far from handling more criminal cases. They should be handling none at all.
'British law is absolute and must remain so.'
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