Table 1: Constitutional Provisions Declaring Islam as Source of Legislation
Country | Constitution | Article No. | Constitutional Provision |
Afghanistan | Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, 2004 | Article 3 | No law shall contravene the tenets and provisions of the holy religion of Islam in Afghanistan. |
Bahrain | Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, 2002 | Article 2 | The Islamic Shari’a is a principal source for legislation. |
Egypt | Constitution of Egypt, 2014 | Article 2 | The principles of Islamic Sharia are the principal source of legislation. |
Iran | Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1979 | Article 4 | All civil, penal, financial, economic, administrative, cultural, military, political, and other laws and regulations must be based on Islamic criteria. |
Iraq | Constitution of Iraq, 2005 | Article 2 | Islam is the official religion of the State and is a foundation source of legislation: No law may be enacted that contradicts the established provisions of Islam. |
Kuwait | Constitution of Kuwait, 1962 | Article 2 | The religion of the State is Islam and Islamic Law shall be a main source of legislation. |
Libya | Constitution of Libya, 2011 | Article 1 | Islam shall be its religion and Islamic Shari’a shall be the main source of legislation. |
Maldives | Constitution of Maldives, 2008 | Article 10 | The religion of the State of the Maldives is Islam. Islam shall be the one of the basis of all the laws of the Maldives. No law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be enacted in the Maldives |
Oman | Constitution of Oman, 1996 | Article 2 | The religion of the State is Islam and Islamic Sharia is the basis for legislation. |
Qatar | Constitution of Qatar, 2003 | Article 1 | Islamic Law is the main source of its legislations. |
Pakistan | Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 | Article 227 | All existing laws shall be brought in conformity with the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, in this part referred to as the Injunctions of Islam, and no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to such Injunctions. |
Saudi Arabia | Constitution of Saudi Arabia, 1992 | Articles 2 & 48 | Shura Council shall hold fast to the bond of Allah and adhere to the sources of Islamic legislation. Courts shall apply the provisions of Islamic Shari'ah to cases brought before them, according to the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's (PBUH) Sunnah as well as other regulations issued by the Head of State in strict conformity with the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's (PBUH) Sunnah. |
Syria | Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic, 2012 | Article 2 | Islamic jurisprudence shall be a major source of legislation. |
United Arab Emirates | Constitution of the United Arab Emirates, 1971 | Article 7 | The Islamic Shari’a is a main source of legislation in the UAE. |