The Sharia law is primarily considered to be in affiliation with Islamic religion. No doubt it is highly recognized in the UAE. The UAE is one of the GCC countries in the Middle East that is operative of the Sharia law, which has been the basis of the majority of Islamic jurisdictions.
Being a multinational country over many decades, the UAE is fair with the application of the Sharia laws on its residents bearing in mind that many expats in the country come from different cultural and religious backgrounds. That is why some Sharia laws are applicable to only the UAE nationals e.g. the Emiratis shouldn’t be seen in alcoholic trading shops. For those looking into business setup in Dubai, understanding the legal framework, including aspects of Sharia law, is essential to ensure compliance with the country’s regulations.
Nevertheless, the Sharia law holds its prominent stand in the tradition of this Arab nation and that is why it is applied partly or fully in some UAE laws depending on the situation.
The UAE Federal law is not totally based on the Sharia law but it derives some aspects of it for several jurisdictions. Over the years, there have been some modifications in this regard. Also, some elements of the Sharia law like flogging and stoning have been replaced with jail terms. So with regards to the Sharia law in the UAE, there’s always a room for modification, replacement and total enforcement depending on the situation or crime committed.
Sharia law in UAE for expats
Just like stated above, the Sharia law is carefully and fairly executed in the UAE regarding foreigners. This is to promote the spirit of oneness while observing the regular and important Federal law.
Under the UAE Federal Constitution, each emirate is free to formulate its own jurisdiction or merge it with the existing Sharia law. And it’s the duty of a non-muslim resident to identify when felt oppresed or intimidated by the law because there’s always an exceptional case in most law enforcements.
Let's briefly look at some of the punishable offenses in the UAE with a touch of the Sharia laws and the punishments associated with it.
| Sharia/Federal laws | Punishment |
|---|---|
| Verbal abuse | Arrest and other penalties |
| Abortion — Aside from a case where a woman’s life is medically proven to be at risk | Punishable by law with up to one jail term and a fine of up to AED 10,000 |
| False allegation — E.g when a woman accuses one of sexually harrasing her and it turns out to be false or any other serious false allegation | Up to one year imprisonment |
| Blasphemy — It’s completely forbidden in the UAE for one to talk against a religion | Deportation with or without imprisonment for a blasphemy against the Islamic religion by an expat |
| Dress code violation — Some areas prohibit indecent dressing (E.g the grand mosque in Abu Dhabi only permits women who are properly dressed) | May not be allowed entrance until you dress accordingly |
| Cheque bounce — If there’s a deliberate action from your end in this regard | Imprisonment, fines, freezing the account, or any other applicable penalty depending on the overall situation |
| Homosexuality — Highly intolerable | Severe punishment, imprisonment |
| Public display of affection — Romantic kissing or other uncommon display of affection in public places is prohibited | Arrest or fine penalty |
| Eating in public during Ramadan period — Only pregnant women and children are allowed to eat during this period. Though, currently there has been some modification to this | Arrest or fine penalty |
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