Negotiating Authority: Ulama and Family Law Reforms in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64984/ijcd.2.2.2025.23Keywords:
Pakistan Family Laws, Talāq, Khula, polygamy, modern reforms, Islamic jurisprudence , fiqh, women rights, judicial ijtihadAbstract
The institution of family is regarded as a significant unit of society in Islam, so family laws are pivotal in the legal system of Pakistan. Pakistan has adopted Anglo- Muhammadan Law post-independence which is a combination of Islamic principles and colonial interpretations of the British. Since then, the State of Pakistan is attempting to reconcile Islamic tradition with modern legal needs through reforms and judicial activism through ijtihād (also termed as judicial ijtihad). The current study examines the evolution of Islamic family laws in Pakistan from their classical juristic foundation to contemporary initiatives in legal reform. Pakistani laws are primarily rooted in Islamic fiqh reflecting a complex interaction between Sharī‘ah, colonial legal legacies, constitutional mandates and modern socio-political demands. With an emphasis on how tradition and reform have coexisted, clashed, and changed the legal status of women in areas like marriage, divorce, and maintenance__ this paper examines the historical development, legal underpinnings, and socio-religious discussions surrounding Muslim family laws in Pakistan. By tracing the transition from traditional norms to reform-oriented legal mechanism, this paper attempts to seek answers to questions like why reforms in family laws of Pakistan are needed. Whether the family laws of Islam are secular and anti-Islamic? And whether the reluctance and resistance to accept laws in reform is of religious nature or a threat to patriarchal and authoritative behavior? Consequently, the paper argues that the reforms in Pakistan’s family laws are not departure from Islam, but a contextual reinterpretation aimed at addressing contemporary social realities.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Aishath Khaleela Abdul Sattar, Farkhanda Yousaf
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