The Syariah Court Practice Forum 2026

Introduction

• Assalamualaikum and Good morning. It is my pleasure to join all of you at the second edition of Syariah Court Practice Forum today.

• Today, the theme of the Syariah Court Practice Forum is "Justice Within Reach: Collaborative Care for Families in Divorce". Today’s forum focuses on two key challenges: supporting self-represented persons and navigating high-conflict divorces. These topics are difficult, but important.

• To our legal professionals, social science professionals, and asatizah who are present today, thank you for being here. Your presence shows a shared conviction: families who come before the Syariah Court deserve more than just a decision. They deserve care.

Divorce is a transition where families need our care and support the most

• Divorce the most difficult experiences a family can go through. While it marks the end of a marriage, it does not mean the end of a family. Parents and children continue to move forward together, and they deserve the support to do so with dignity and with hope.

• For many families, this is one of the most emotional and uncertain periods of their lives. Beyond the legal process, they need understanding, guidance and support to help them navigate this transition and rebuild their lives.

• Now, it would be easy to focus only on the legal resolution. But justice, especially in family matters, is about more than reaching the right decision. It is also about how families experience the journey. A process that is respectful, accessible and compassionate can help families manage conflict more constructively and move forward together with greater confidence.

• That is why today's forum is important. In the context of family law, success is not measured only by the judgments delivered, but also whether the families feel heard, supported and treated with dignity throughout the process. Achieving this requires all of us, across the courts, the legal fraternity and our social service partners, to work together with a shared purpose – to help families heal, rebuild and move forward.

This practice has long been captured by the principal of Islam, to restore what has been broken, to reconcile where possible, to put right where has gone wrong. Islam reminds us that justice is not only about determining rights and motivations, but also about restoring dignity and preserving relationships where possible. As the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wasallam reminded us, reconciling between people is among the most virtuous agreements. Reconciliation, therefore, is not merely a procedural act for the cause. It is an act of worship and expression of mercy. But not every marriage can be preserved. Every family deserves a process that reflects these values: compassion, fairness and hope. Even where reconciliation is no longer possible, the spirit of Islam continues, by helping families separate respectfully, minimise harm and safeguard the well-being of their children.

The Syariah Court's evolution reminds us that justice is not only about outcomes, but about how families are supported throughout the process.

• Since its earliest days, the Syariah Court recognised that resolving a case is only one part of helping a family move forward. This is why the Syariah court introduced initiatives such as mandatory marriage counselling and the hakam process, where trained asatizah help couples seek reconciliation or reach an amicable resolution. These initiatives are deeply rooted in the Islamic traditions of islah, placing restoration, compassion and the welfare of families at the heart of the justice process.

• Over the years, Syariah Court has continued to strengthen this family-centric approach. Last year, it began piloting co-mediations, bringing together mediators and Court Therapeutic Specialists to better support vulnerable families and their children. Where concerns such as family violence, child welfare issues, or heightened parental conflict surface, Court Therapeutic Specialists can intervene early and connect families to the appropriate support. At the same time, the Court has continued to enhance accessibility through digital services, online filing, clearer guidance for self-represented persons and more proactive case management. These improvements reduce unnecessary procedural burdens, allowing greater attention to families facing the most complex challenges. Together, thi reflects an important principle – justice is not only delivered through legal decisions, but also through the care and support families receive throughout the journey.

The challenges ahead

• Today’s Forum addresses two important challenges. The first is how we better support self-represented persons. They are often the most vulnerable in our justice system. Accessibility is not simply about simplifying forms or introducing digital services. It is about ensuring that every person who comes before the court, regardless of education, language, or financial means, can understand the process, participate meaningfully and feel that justice is truly within reach, The justice system that is accessible strengthens confidence in the law itself. I am encouraged that today’s joint presentation by the Legal Aid Bureau and the Syariah Court will explore practical ways to make the process more accessible and more supportive for them.

• The second challenge is that of high-conflict divorces. In these cases, the legal dispute is often only the surface manifestation of deeper issues, including family violence, mental health challenges, entrenched conflicts or parental alienation. Increasingly, practitioners are also dealing with more complex family circumstances involving financial distress, blended families, cross-border issues and the protection of vulnerable children. These families need more than just a legal resolution. They require coordinated support across the family justice ecosystem to identify risks early, manage conflict constructively and above all, safeguard the welfare of children.

When legal professionals, social science professionals, and religious scholars come together in a shared language of care, families in crisis find not just a Court decision, but they find a way forward.

• There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I believe it also takes a village to support a family through divorce. That is the strength of our justice ecosystem. Legal professionals provide the legal framework and certainty that families need. Social science professionals help us understand family dynamics, trauma, and the long-term impact of conflict on children.  Our religious scholars or asatizah provide spiritual guidance and help families navigate this difficult period with faith, compassion and a sense of responsibility.

• Each and everyone of you plays a distinct role, but together they provide families with the holistic support they need. This is why genuine collaboration across disciplines is so important.

• The Syariah Court has steadily strengthened this interdisciplinary approach over the years.  It has done so through initiatives such Communities of Practice for Marriage Counselling Programme partners, the HIKMAH training framework for hakam, and the onboarding of Volunteer Mediators. Together these efforts   equip practitioners with the legal, therapeutic, and relational skills needed to support families facing increasingly complex challenges.

• The Syariah Court has also welcomed new Volunteer Mediators, who also undergo training in legal, social science and relevant Muslim law principles to enhance their practice.

• These efforts reflect a broader commitment to developing professionals who are not only experts in their respective fields, but who are also able to work confidently across disciplines in the best interests of families.

• Today's Forum is just part of that journey. The interactive interdisciplinary case discussion this afternoon brings together professionals from different backgrounds to examine scenarios through different lenses and perspectives. I encourage everyone to engage openly, learn from one another’s perspective and continue building the partnerships that will strengthen our family justice ecosystem.

Conclusion

• As we look ahead, the continued evolution of our family justice system should remain firmly anchored in the spirit of Islam, continually striving to improve, to reconcile where possible, and to restore lives with compassion and justice. While the Syariah Court has made significant progress in becoming more accessible, family-centric and responsive to increasingly complex cases, there will always be opportunities to do better.

• Perhaps we can reflect on these three questions together

  • First, how can we continue making justice even more accessible, especially for those who navigate the process without legal representation, so that every family feels heard, understood and able to participate meaningfully.

  • Second, how can we deepen collaboration across legal, social, and religious disciplines so that increasingly complex family disputes receive coordinated, holistic, and timely support.

  • Third, how can we continue to embody the true spirit of Islam, not only by encouraging reconciliation where possible, but by ensuring that every family, whatever the outcome of the part the proceedings, leave the justice process with dignity, fairness, and hope.

• Let me conclude by returning to where I began: Justice is made possible by the commitment of everyone in this room to serve families with compassion and professionalism.  I hope today’s conversations will be thoughtful, candid and meaningful, and that they will strengthen not only your knowledge, but also the partnerships that make this work possible.

• Divorce marks the end of a marriage, but it should never mark the end of compassion, dignity, or responsibility. If Islam teaches us anything, it's that even when relationships cannot  be restored, lives can still be rebuilt. Our collective responsibility is therefore not merely to resolve disputes, but to help families emerge from one of the of life's most difficult chapters with greater hope, stability, and confidence for the future. When justice is within reach, and reconciliation remains at its heart, the Syariah Court becomes more than a place where disputes are resolved. It becomes a place where dignity is preserved, families are supported, and hope is renewed. That that is a vision that brings all of us here today. Courts resolve disputes. Justice restores lives. But the true measure of justice is not whether a judgment ends against a case, but whether compassion begins a new chapter.

• Thank you, and I wish all of you a productive and meaningful practice forum. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.