Skip to main content
  • About
  • News & Insights
  • Careers
  • International
0370 1500 100
Dialog that contains search functionality
Irwin Mitchell Logo
  • Personal
    • Personal
    • Personal Home
    • Personal Injury Claims
      • Personal Injury Claims
      • Personal Injury Claims Home
      • Abuse Claims
      • Accidents In Public Places Claims
      • Criminal Injury Compensation Claims
      • Accident At Work Claims
      • Air, Rail & Maritime Claims
      • Asbestos & Mesothelioma Claims
      • Changing Solicitors During a Personal Injury Claim
      • Group Claims
      • Holiday Accidents & Illness Claims
      • Illness Compensation Claims
      • Industrial Disease Claims
      • Injury Types
      • Military Injury Compensation Claims
      • No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claims
      • Personal Injury Claims In Scotland
      • How To Claim Compensation For Personal Injury
      • Product Liability Claims
      • Road Traffic Accident Claims
      • Serious Injury Claims
      • Who Can Help?
      • Support Services
    • Medical Negligence Claims
      • Medical Negligence Claims
      • Medical Negligence Claims Home
      • Cancer Misdiagnosis Claims
      • Birth Injury Claims
      • Cauda Equina Syndrome Claims
      • Never Event Claims
      • Ambulance & Paramedic Medical Negligence Claims
      • Cosmetic Surgery Claims
      • Private Healthcare Claims
      • Cerebral Palsy Claims
      • Defective Medical Device Claims
      • Dental Negligence Claims
      • Diabetes Misdiagnosis Claims
      • Fatal Medical Negligence Claims & Inquests
      • GP Negligence Claims
      • Hospital Negligence Claims
      • What Is Medical Negligence?
      • Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims
      • Failure To Prevent Suicide Claims
      • Misdiagnosis Claims
      • Ophthalmic Negligence Claims
      • Pregnancy & Gynaecology Injury Claims
      • Sepsis Negligence Claims
      • Pharmacy And Medication Negligence Claims
      • Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust Maternity Care Claims
      • Stroke Misdiagnosis Claims
      • Surgery Compensation Claims
    • Counselling
      • Counselling
      • Counselling Home
      • Counselling Myths Dispelled
    • Family Law
      • Family Law
      • Family Law Home
      • Divorce Solicitors
      • Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreement Solicitors
      • Child Abduction Solicitors
      • Civil Partnership Solicitors
      • LGBT+ Family Law Solicitors
      • Unmarried Couples' Rights
      • Divorce Financial Settlement Solicitors
      • Child Arrangement Orders
      • Family Mediation
      • Out of Court Divorce Solicitors
      • Separation Agreement Solicitors
      • Adoption & Surrogacy Solicitors
    • Wills, Trusts & Estates
      • Wills, Trusts & Estates
      • Wills, Trusts & Estates Home
      • Estate Planning Solicitors
      • Powers Of Attorney
      • Trusts
      • Will Writing Services
      • Will Disputes & Contentious Probate
    • Conveyancing & Property Solicitors
      • Conveyancing & Property Solicitors
      • Conveyancing & Property Solicitors Home
      • Conveyancing Fees Calculator
      • Buying A Property
      • Selling A Property
      • Remortgage
      • Transfer Of Equity
      • Buy To Let
      • Freehold Purchase (Leasehold Enfranchisement) Solicitors
      • Lease Extension Solicitors
      • Conveyancing Guide
      • Residential Property Disputes
    • Tax
      • Tax
      • Tax Home
      • Business Tax
      • Inheritance Tax
      • International Tax
      • Professional Negligence
      • HMRC Tax Investigations
      • Tax Disputes & Litigation
      • Tax Residence
      • Tax Returns & Compliance
      • UK Resident Non-Doms
      • Wealth Structuring
    • Probate
      • Probate
      • Probate Home
      • International Probate
      • Probate Sale Conveyancing
      • What Is Probate & How Does It Work?
    • Will, Trust & Estate Disputes
      • Will, Trust & Estate Disputes
      • Will, Trust & Estate Disputes Home
      • Trust Disputes
      • Inheritance Act Claims
      • Contesting A Will
      • Contentious Probate
      • Pre-Death Agreements
      • Professional Negligence
      • Challenging A Lifetime Gift
      • Financial Abuse
      • Statutory Will Disputes
      • Defending A Contested Will
    • Employment Solicitors
      • Employment Solicitors
      • Employment Solicitors Home
      • Employment Contract Solicitors
      • Employment Disputes
      • Dismissal & Redundancy Solicitors
      • Employment Discrimination Solicitors
      • Employment Lawyers for Legal Expenses Insurance
      • Harassment & Bullying At Work Solicitors
      • Parental & Family Friendly Employment Rights
      • Professional Discipline Solicitors
      • Recruitment & Promotion
      • Senior Executive Employment Lawyers
      • Settlement Agreements
      • Whistleblowing Solicitors
    • Elderly Legal Services
    • Protecting Your Rights
      • Protecting Your Rights
      • Protecting Your Rights Home
      • Actions Against The Police
      • Inquests
      • Environmental & Planning Law
      • Assessment & Treatment Unit Solicitors
      • Data Protection Breach Claims
      • Education Law
      • Healthcare & Social Services
      • Human Rights
      • Judicial Review
      • Mental Capacity
      • Professional Regulation & Discipline
      • Dispute Resolution
      • Legal Aid
    • Immigration Solicitors
      • Immigration Solicitors
      • Immigration Solicitors Home
      • British Citizenship & Naturalisation Solicitors
      • EU & EEA Immigration Solicitors
      • Indefinite Leave To Remain Solicitors
      • Spouse Visa Solicitors
      • Innovator Visa
      • Permanent Residence Solicitors
      • Business Immigration Solicitors
    • Crime & Investigations
      • Crime & Investigations
      • Crime & Investigations Home
      • Crime
      • Fraud & Financial Crime
      • Court Martial Solicitors
      • Motoring Offences Legal Advice
      • Regulatory Investigations & Enforcement
    • Insolvency
      • Insolvency
      • Insolvency Home
      • Business Restructuring & Insolvency
      • Debt Consultancy
      • Insolvency Disputes & Litigation
    • Court Of Protection
      • Court Of Protection
      • Court Of Protection Home
      • Court Of Protection Deputyship
      • Personal Injury Trusts
      • Court Of Protection Problems & Disputes
      • Healthcare and Social Services
      • Court of Protection Frequently Asked Questions
      • Powers Of Attorney Disputes
      • Statutory Wills Solicitors
  • Wealth Management
    • Wealth Management
    • Wealth Management Home
    • Asset Management For Personal Injury
    • Charity & Philanthropy
    • Estate Planning
    • Ethical & Sustainable Investing
    • Financial Planning
    • Intergenerational Wealth Management
    • Investment Management
    • Retirement Financial Planning
    • Family Offices
    • Succession Planning
    • Tax Planning
  • Business
    • Business
    • Business Home
    • Sectors
      • Sectors
      • Sectors Home
      • Agriculture & Rural Business
      • Retail, Leisure & Hospitality
      • Education
      • Financial & Professional Services
      • Landed Estates
      • Manufacturing
      • Real Estate
      • Sport
      • Technology & Communications
    • Banking & Finance
      • Banking & Finance
      • Banking & Finance Home
      • Corporate Banking
      • Leveraged & Acquisition Finance
      • Real Estate Finance
      • Receivables Finance & Asset Based Lending
    • Environmental, Social & Governance
      • Environmental, Social & Governance
      • Environmental, Social & Governance Home
      • Cyber Security
      • Environment
      • Net Zero
      • Social
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Governance
      • International
      • ESG Legal Advisory Services
      • Legislation Library
      • Manufacturing Sector
      • Real Estate
      • Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Sector
      • Sports Sector
    • Business Crime
      • Business Crime
      • Business Crime Home
      • Anti-Bribery & Corruption
      • Asset Tracing & Recovery
      • Cartels & Illegal Price Fixing
      • Cybercrime
      • Dawn Raids
      • Deferred Prosecution Agreements
      • Extradition
      • INTERPOL Red Notices
      • Mutual Legal Assistance
      • Private Prosecution
      • Proceeds Of Crime Act
      • Unexplained Wealth Orders
      • Fraud Lawyers
      • Insider Trading & Market Abuse
      • Corporate Internal Investigations
    • Business Immigration
      • Business Immigration
      • Business Immigration Home
      • Business Visitor Visa
      • Global Business Mobility Visas
      • Innovator Visa
      • Prevention Of Illegal Working
      • Skilled Worker Visas
      • Sole Representative Of An Overseas Business
      • UK Visa Sponsor License
    • Commercial
      • Commercial
      • Commercial Home
      • Commercial Contracts
      • Competition Law
      • GDPR & Data Protection
      • Information Technology
      • Sourcing
      • Notary Public Solicitors
    • Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution
      • Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution
      • Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Home
      • Banking & Finance Litigation
      • Business Interruption Insurance Lawyers
      • Contract Disputes
      • Defamation & Reputation Management
      • International & Cross-Border Disputes
      • Commercial Debt Recovery
      • Litigation Funding
      • Professional Negligence
    • Corporate
      • Corporate
      • Corporate Home
      • Corporate Advisory
      • Equity Capital Markets
      • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
      • Private Equity
      • Search Funds and Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Lawyers
    • Costs Team
    • Employment Law
      • Employment Law
      • Employment Law Home
      • Business Immigration
      • Employment Contracts, Policies & Procedures
      • Disciplinary & Grievance
      • Employee & Industrial Relations
      • Employment Lawyers for Legal Expenses Insurance
      • Employment Litigation & Resolution Lawyers
      • Equality, Diversity & Discrimination
      • Flexible Working Arrangements
      • Health & Safety
      • HR Advice Service - IMhrplus
      • Managing Sickness Absence
      • Pensions
      • Recruitment
      • Restrictive Covenants
      • Restructuring & Redundancy
      • Self Employment, Contractors & Agency Workers
      • Employment Seminars, Training & Updates
      • TUPE
    • In-House Counsel
    • Intellectual Property and Media
      • Intellectual Property and Media
      • Intellectual Property and Media Home
      • Defamation & Reputation Management
      • Copyright Lawyers
      • Design Rights Lawyers
      • Image Rights Lawyers
      • Online Marketplace Seller Account Or Listing Suspensions
      • Stopping IP Infringement By Sellers On Online Marketplaces
      • Patent Lawyers
      • Trade Mark Lawyers
      • Trade Secrets Lawyers
    • Legal Helpline
    • Licensing
      • Licensing
      • Licensing Home
      • Betting & Gaming Licensing
      • Event Licences
      • Alcohol Licensing
    • Pensions
      • Pensions
      • Pensions Home
      • Employment
      • Managing Death Benefit Trusts
    • Regulatory & Compliance
      • Regulatory & Compliance
      • Regulatory & Compliance Home
      • Road Transport & Operator Compliance
      • GDPR & Data Protection
      • Regulatory Investigations
      • Account Freezing Orders
      • Anti-Money Laundering
      • Companies House Prosecutions
      • Environment & Safety Regulatory Compliance
      • Financial Services Regulation
    • Real Estate
      • Real Estate
      • Real Estate Home
      • Corporate Occupiers
      • Real Estate Development and Regeneration
      • Construction & Engineering
      • Environmental
      • Real Estate Finance
      • Real Estate Investment
      • Later Living & Care
      • Planning
      • Property Litigation & Real Estate Disputes
      • Real Estate Tax
      • Residential Development
      • Strategic Land
      • Structured Real Estate
    • Restructuring & Insolvency
      • Restructuring & Insolvency
      • Restructuring & Insolvency Home
      • Corporate Insolvency
      • Partnership Insolvency
      • Directors' Duties
      • Restructuring Plans
      • Debt Recovery (up to £100,000) – Pricing
      • Restructuring
    • Tax
      • Tax
      • Tax Home
      • Corporate Tax
      • Real Estate Tax
      • Tax Investigations
  • People
    • People
    • People Home
    • Search By Name
    • Search By Location
    • Search By Expertise
    • Business Management
  • Offices
    • Offices
    • Offices Home
    • Birmingham
    • Brighton
    • Bristol
    • Cambridge
    • Cardiff
    • Chichester
    • Edinburgh
    • Gatwick
    • Glasgow
    • Leeds
    • Liverpool
    • London
    • Manchester
    • Middlesbrough
    • Newbury
    • Newcastle
    • North Yorkshire
    • Nottingham
    • Reading
    • Sheffield
    • Southampton
  • Contact
  • About
  • News & Insights
  • Careers
  • International
Irwin Mitchell Logo
Dialog with Irwin Mitchell phone number
Call us on 0370 1500 100

We're here 24/7, 365 days a year.

  • Home
  • Personal
  • Family Law
  • Divorce Solicitors
  • Islamic Marriages & Sharia Divorce Solicitors

Islamic Marriages & Sharia Divorce Solicitors

Trustpilot

We understand how important it is to obtain legal advice before entering a Nikah agreement. Our specialist solicitors can advise you on the impact legally and considerations you may want to make to protect your assets. Our specialist team can also work with you to draft a Nikah agreement to ensure that you understand your rights under Sharia and the impact on the law in England and Wales.

We also understand how torn you can feel when going through an Islamic divorce. If it’s no longer possible to have a harmonious relationship with your spouse, we can support you through the religious and legal processes. We value the differences between Sharia laws and recognise that Islamic laws need to be considered along with any UK legal requirements.

Our Islamic divorce solicitors are particularly experienced in cases involving high net worth individuals, senior executives, and business owners. Our lawyers can also help you if your divorce has international elements. For instance, you may have property in other countries, or your spouse or children live abroad.

Contact us today to discuss your situation in a free initial consultation.

How can we help you with your Islamic and Sharia divorce?

Our Islamic family law solicitors can help you with:

  • Marriage contracts (Nikah) and pre-nuptial agreements – we can advise you on and provide these contracts
  • Deciding on the dowry (Mahr) that should be given, and if it should be returned if you divorce
  • Islamic divorce initiated by the man (Talaq) or woman (Khula)
  • International divorces, where you may be living in a different country to your spouse
  • Annulments – it may be possible to annul a marriage rather than divorce in some situations
  • Domestic abuse – we can help you with a range of protective legal measures
  • Financial settlement following divorce
  • Arrangements for your children, including who they should live with and issues around parents wishing to relocate
  • Matrimonial assets on divorce – we can help you make or defend claims about family assets – especially jewellery
  • Sharia Council, we can handle Islamic divorces connected with the Sharia Council.

Many of our solicitors are multilingual, able to speak:

  • Arabic
  • Hindi
  • Urdu
  • Punjabi.

Why choose Irwin Mitchell’s Islamic and Sharia divorce solicitors?

We work very closely with Islamic Councils around the country and are sensitive to the subtle cultural and religious differences between communities. We have appeared on several Punjabi radio stations and presented to West Midlands Police about Islamic family law.

Sarah Al-Jourani, our lead Sharia family law solicitor, works very closely with the Sharia Council to provide clients with expert knowledge. Sarah has been appointed UK Chair for Inter Cultural dialogue due to her work in the field of Sharia family law and sits as Vice Chair for the American Bar Association International Family Law Committee.

Sarah regularly hosts webinars on the topic of Sharia family law and has spoken for organisations such as Thought Leaders 4 and Family Law Weekly. 

Mark Hands, one of our Islamic divorce solicitors, has built a reputation advising Asian families. He regularly writes and lectures on Islamic family law issues.

Read our divorce experts' series of articles.

We were delighted to win Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion award at The Asian Today’s Signature Awards in 2020.

Our Islamic family solicitors help clients across the country, particularly in and around:

  • London
  • Birmingham
  • Manchester
  • Leeds
  • Sheffield.

We also offer a cost-effective mediation support service. Mediation can be a more relaxed way of resolving any disputes you and your spouse have. We offer a 30-minute consultation with a solicitor, where we can discuss whether mediation is appropriate.

Specialist Islamic divorce solicitors
Multilingual solicitors
In-house mediation service
Offices across the UK

Call today for more information

0370 1500 100

Or we can call you back at a time of your choice

Phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year

Contact us today

For a free initial consultation

Freephone

0370 1500 100

Prefer not to call?

Use our form

This data will only be used by Irwin Mitchell for processing your query and for no other purpose.

Sarah Al-Jourani
Sarah Al-Jourani Solicitor Meet the team

More information on Islamic and Sharia divorce

An Islamic marriage that takes place in England and Wales is not legally recognised unless a civil ceremony also takes place. If you haven’t gone through the civil process, it may mean that you can’t make the same level of financial claim if you divorce.

This is an area of the law that needs reform, as it disadvantages Muslims getting married in England and Wales. If you were married in a foreign country where Islamic marriage is recognised, your marriage may be recognised in England and Wales. In this case, you would not need a civil ceremony.

We have experience helping people married in the UK, as well as those married in Egypt, Pakistan and elsewhere. We can advise you on the legal status of your marriage, and what that could mean for the financial settlement with your spouse.

Under English law, there’s no provision for an automatic divorce in Islam or any other religion. It doesn’t matter how long you and your spouse may have been separated.

You’ll still need to submit a formal divorce application to begin the proceedings. You don’t need to have been separated from your spouse for a set period in a no-fault divorce, but you’ll need to have been married for at least six months before submitting a divorce application.

This depends on the type of divorce sought and whether there’s a need for an external body, such as the Sharia Council, to be involved.

However long your divorce takes, our solicitors will be with you every step of the way. We will make sure you’re informed and feel fully supported throughout the entire process. Once we take on your divorce, we’ll be fully available for you to contact us to discuss anything you’re concerned about.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I don’t have a copy of my Nikah certificate?

If you haven’t got a copy of your Nikah certificate, don’t worry. This is a common issue, and we can still help you to get divorced.

However, you’ll still need to try and get a copy, as this will show you’re actively trying to find it. Organisations that oversee Nikah ceremonies normally have a copy of the certificate, so that’s the best place to start trying to locate it.

If you’re unable to track down your Nikah certificate, you’ll need different evidence to prove your marriage was valid. This allows the divorce panel to authorise your divorce.

What should I do if my spouse doesn’t respond?

As is the case in any culture, you may find that your spouse doesn’t cooperate in the divorce proceedings. They may not consent to the divorce or may try to make it as difficult as possible.

Providing we can prove your spouse got the divorce paperwork, or knows that you’ve made arrangements for a divorce, the panel can still progress your divorce to the next stage. With this proof, the divorce panel doesn’t need your spouse’s acknowledgement.

Related Information - Islamic & Sharia Divorce

International Divorce - We can help if your divorce involves people or assets in different countries
High Net Worth Divorce - We can help protect your assets and business interests
Fixed-Fee Divorce - A quick, easy and cost-effective way to get divorces if you and your partner have agreed to separate
Wills & Estates – It is important to update your will when your family situation changes

About Irwin Mitchell

Founded in Sheffield in 1912, Irwin Mitchell has always been a bit different. Our advisers really get to know the people and business that we help.

We have offices around the UK so wherever you are, our experts can help.

Contact Us

Give us a ring to speak to a member of our team in the strictest confidence. Or you can fill out our contact form and we'll ring you back.

0370 1500 100

Our phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year

Get a call back

Fill in your details below and we'll be in touch as soon as possible

This data will only be used by Irwin Mitchell for processing your query and for no other purpose.

  • Contact
  • 0370 1500 100
  • Contact Irwin Mitchell
  • Social Media
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • About Irwin Mitchell
  • About Us
  • Responsible Business
  • Careers
  • Business Management
  • Alumni Programme
  • Pay A Bill
  • Complaints Procedure
  • SRA Regulated
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy & Security
  • Hoaxes
  • Modern Slavery Act Statement
  • Manage Cookie Settings

© 2025  Irwin Mitchell LLP

Irwin Mitchell LLP is authorised & regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Our Regulatory Information

What Our Clients Say

We truly value and appreciate the feedback we receive from our clients, as we look to improve the services we offer on an ongoing basis.

Read More Feedback
5
TRUSTSCORE 4.8

Based on 11507 reviews

5
As a victim of repeated sexual…

As a victim of repeated sexual violence I needed a solicitor who actually listened and heard me regarding my experience. Erwin Mitchell's Emma Crowther not only listened to me with a professional empathetically nature…

Di Ellis
5
Irwin Mitchell Solicitors have…

Irwin Mitchell Solicitors have been fantastic they have updated us all the way with what has been happening throughout our case for my father and tried to solve this claim as quick as possible...


Joanne Glover
5
I would definitely recommend...

I would definitely recommend Irwin Mitchell, they've worked tirelessly on my case and their achievements have been fantastic. They are down to earth, easy to talk to and very understanding. They've kept me informed every step of the way…

Debra Taylor
Read More Feedback
Dialog that contains a form to request a callback.

Request A Callback

Enter your details below and a member of our team will contact you within 24 hours

This data will only be used by Irwin Mitchell for processing your query and for no other purpose.