In a 55-minute rant to the United Nations earlier this week, US President Donald Trump attacked London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, the state of the city and the United Kingdom’s record on oil production and climate change.

One of the claims was that London is going to ‘go to sharia law’. Trump said: “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it’s been changed, it’s been so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that.”

But while these words are sure to get a response and draw outrage, something Trump has done several times in the past, we take a look at what Sharia law actually is. 

Understanding Sharia: What it is—and what it isn’t

After 9/11, the public discourse, especially in Western media, portrayed Sharia as this violent, barbaric thing, synonymous with harsh punishments and authoritarian control. However, these portrayals are deeply misleading and ignore the merciful nature of Islamic legal tradition.

At its core, Sharia—an Arabic term meaning “the path” or “the way”—is not just a legal code. It is a comprehensive ethical framework that guides Muslims in several ways, including spiritual, personal, social, and legal matters. It draws primarily from the Qur’an and the Hadith (the sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad), supplemented by scholarly consensus (ijmāʿ) and reasoning by analogy (qiyās). It should be noted that it is not a monolithic system as interpretations of Sharia vary across different cultures, schools of thought, and historical periods.

Contrary to popular belief, Sharia governs everything from daily rituals like prayer and fasting, to bigger and societal matters such as family law, business ethics, and criminal justice.

The penal aspect of Sharia often tends to be highlighted and more often than not, blown out of proportion, but it actually forms a very small part of the overall framework.

Historically, Muslim jurists divided offences into three categories:

Hudud (fixed punishments): These are considered the limits set by God for certain serious crimes such as theft, adultery, or false accusation. However, these punishments are rarely applied. Why? Simply because of its high evidentiary standards. One example of this is adultery. Adultery requires the testimony of four adult male witnesses. Witnesses, as in they had to have seen it with their eyes, not heard through a random WhatsApp group, for instance. Finding one witness would already be difficult, not to mention four, making it nearly impossible to obtain. If there is any doubt whatsoever, the punishment must be suspended.

Qisās (retaliation): Applied in cases of murder or bodily harm, qisās allows for proportionate justice (an eye for an eye). While this sounds brutal, this category emphasises forgiveness. The victim’s family has the right to pardon the offender or accept financial compensation (diyya), which is considered a virtuous act in Islam.

Taʿzīr (discretionary punishments): For all other offences not covered by the above two categories, judges or rulers may impose suitable punishments based on context, severity, and the individual circumstances of the offender. These punishments are typically milder and more rehabilitative in nature.

Misconceptions

One of the biggest misconceptions, thanks to movies and propaganda, is the idea that Sharia is simply a tool for oppression, especially for women. Early Islamic law (we are talking 7th century Arabia) introduced rights for women, including the right to inheritance, divorce, property ownership, and protection from abuse.

Another common misconception is to equate Sharia with the brutal tactics of extremist groups like ISIS.

These groups abuse Islamic terminology to justify political violence, ignoring the centuries-old traditions of due process, community consultation, judicial discretion, and ultimately, mercy.

Their actions are rooted in power and control and are widely condemned by Muslims and mainstream Muslim scholars.

Critics also claim that Sharia is incompatible with modern human rights. While it’s true that certain historical applications conflict with contemporary norms, there is a long-standing tradition of reform, reinterpretation, and context-based rulings within Islamic jurisprudence. Many modern Muslim-majority countries apply aspects of Sharia in civil matters like marriage and finance, without enforcing its penal codes.

Above all, the spirit of mercy is foundational in Sharia law. Even within the legal system, judges were historically encouraged to find reasons to avoid hudud penalties. Mercy, forgiveness, and discretion were not just moral ideals—they were legal tools, embedded in the framework itself.

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