What role does Sadiq Khan see for Islamic law in UK society?
Executive summary
Sadiq Khan rejects the idea that Islamic law should supplant British law and has repeatedly defended the supremacy of UK law while condemning claims that he or London seeks to "go to Sharia law" as false and Islamophobic [1] [2] [3]. He acknowledges that voluntary religious tribunals and Sharia councils exist for matters like family and finance but insists they have no legal status and do not change the rule of law in England and Wales [1] [4].
1. Khan’s stated position: British law, not Sharia, governs London
Sir Sadiq Khan has publicly rejected assertions that he wants to introduce Sharia law to London, framing such claims as bigoted attacks linked to his religion and background, and stressing that British law — “and no other kind of law” — applies across the capital and the country [1] [3]. In responses to high-profile public attacks, Khan has called the rhetoric “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic,” asserting that accusations of imposing Sharia are unfounded [2] [5].
2. What Khan acknowledges about Sharia councils and religious arbitration
Khan and government ministers point out a factual distinction between informal religious dispute-resolution bodies and the state legal system: Sharia councils and other religious tribunals operate in Britain to handle some family and property matters by mutual agreement, but their decisions are not legally binding under civil law and they form “no part of the law of England and Wales,” a point made in parliamentary statements and government reviews referenced in reporting [1] [4].
3. The immediate context: reaction to a US president’s allegation
Khan’s renewed clarifications came after a high-profile claim at the UN alleging London “wanted to go to Sharia law,” a statement that prompted widespread rebuttals from UK political figures — including the prime minister — and fact-checking organisations which found no evidence supporting the accusation [6] [2] [4]. Khan framed the allegation as part of a longer-standing personal and political feud and warned that such high-level rhetoric normalises prejudice against Muslims [3] [7].
4. Dissenting narratives and partisan attack lines
Not all commentary accepts Khan’s framing; some conservative and faith‑based critics have accused him of being sympathetic to integrating aspects of Islamic practice into public life, with outlets like Christian Concern citing past statements and arguing he encouraged “incorporating some aspects of sharia law” into UK systems — claims that major news outlets and fact‑checkers treat as political attacks rather than evidence of legal change [8]. Independent fact‑checks and mainstream reporting, however, find “absolutely no evidence” that Khan or London seeks to replace UK law with Sharia [4] [9].
5. Why the debate matters beyond semantics
The dispute is not only about legal doctrine but about political framing: allegations that a Muslim mayor is trying to introduce religious law can stoke Islamophobia and mobilise domestic and international political narratives, while defenders argue the story distracts from policy issues and public safety achievements; critics who raise concerns about informal religious tribunals frame them as potential protections gaps for vulnerable people, showing the debate intersects civil‑rights, integration and political theatre [7] [1] [4].
6. Bottom line — Khan’s view as reported
Across the reporting, Sir Sadiq Khan’s publicly stated view is clear: he does not see Islamic law replacing or becoming part of the UK legal system, he accepts the existence of voluntary religious arbitration for private matters but insists UK law governs public life, and he characterises claims otherwise as false and prejudicial; alternative accounts from opponents exist but have not produced evidence that Khan aims to impose Sharia law in London [1] [4] [3] [8].