Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937
The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 (Act 26 of 1937) is the primary statute that applies Islamic personal law — the Shariat — to Muslims in India for matters of personal status.
- Enacted during the British colonial period, the Act governs: marriage, dower (mehr), divorce (talaq, ila, zihar, lian, khula, mubaraat), maintenance, guardianship, gifts, trusts (waqf), and inheritance/succession.
- Under classical Islamic inheritance law (Faraid), a daughter receives half the share of a son; a wife receives one-eighth or one-quarter depending on whether there are children; rules are derived directly from Quranic verses (Surah An-Nisa, 4:11–12).
- The Act does not codify Islamic law into statute — it declares that Shariat governs these matters for Muslims, leaving the substantive rules to be determined by Islamic jurisprudence.
- The Indian Succession Act, 1925 (which provides equal inheritance rights regardless of gender) does NOT apply to Muslims — Muslims in India are governed by the 1937 Act.
● Tracked since March 12, 2026 · last seen April 16, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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