Selangor to align fatwa management with national structure

The state of Selangor, Malaysia, is revising its approach to fatwa management to synchronize with national-level structures. This initiative involves amendments to the Islamic Religious Administration (Selangor) Enactment 2026 (EPAINS), aimed at ensuring the state's existing provisions align with the current practices of the Syariah Law Harmonization Committee under the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI).

Dr. Mohammad Fahmi Ngah, the State Executive Councilor for Islamic Affairs and Innovation Culture, explained that the amendments will harmonize legal provisions with the actual structure of fatwa management. He emphasized that these changes will not diminish the authority of the Selangor Fatwa Committee. Instead, they will provide the committee with a framework to assess the suitability of religious opinions based on Syariah law, public interest, and the needs of the state's Muslim community.

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The amendments will harmonize legal provisions with the actual structure of fatwa management without affecting the jurisdiction of the Selangor Fatwa Committee.

Fahmi clarified that the proposed amendments are not intended to alter the status of the state's fatwa institutions or reduce the importance of national-level legal harmonization. Rather, they aim to ensure that Selangor's Enactment consistently reflects Malaysia's actual fatwa administration structure, without infringing upon the state constitution or the Sultan of Selangor's position as the head of Islam in the state.

Furthermore, the amendments to EPAINS will bolster the statutory authority of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) in providing legal aid and mediation. While these services have been ongoing, they previously relied on MAIS's general powers. The revised enactment provides specific provisions, enhancing access to legal assistance for Islamic family law disputes, including divorce, alimony, mutaah, child custody, and property division.

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Instead, it is to ensure that the provisions of the Islamic Religious Administration (Selangor) Enactment 2003 always reflect the actual structure of fatwa administration in Malaysia without affecting the constitutional position of the state and the powers of the Sultan of Selangor as the Head of Islam in the state.