Edinburgh academic to head Sharia law review

Edinburgh University professor Mona Siddiqui has been appointed to head an official review of the application of sharia law in England and Wales. 

The review has been ordered by Home Secretary Theresa May.

The review forms part of the government’s counter-extremism strategy and will be carried out by a Home Office-appointed panel chaired by Prof Siddiqui and including family law experts and a retired high court judge. The panel is to be advised by two imams who are religious and theological experts.

Theresa May said the review would look into whether, and, if so, the extent to which sharia law was being misused or applied in a way that was incompatible with the rule of law in Britain. It would also assess ways in which sharia law may be causing harm in communities.

The inquiry was expected to be completed by 2017.