Enakmen dan ordinan Islam negeri
Applies to: Each state separately; Federal Territories by Acts of Parliament Ā· Official text ā
- Under the Federal Constitution (Ninth Schedule, List II, item 1), each state makes its own Islamic laws; Parliament does so only for the Federal Territories.
- Most states have six core laws: administration, family, criminal offences, criminal procedure, evidence and civil procedure. Several also have wakaf, wasiat (Muslim wills) or zakat laws.
- Most states modelled their laws on the Federal Territories Acts, so the rules are similar, but section numbers, penalties and some substantive rules differ.
- The law that applies is usually the law of the state where you live, married or where the property or offence is.
- Each state publishes its laws through its Islamic council (Majlis), Syariah judiciary department or state legal office; links are below.
- Laws change: several states amended their administration enactments between 2022 and 2025.
Why every state has its own Islamic laws
The Federal Constitution puts "Islamic law and personal and family law of persons professing the religion of Islam", Syariah courts, zakat, wakaf and Islamic offences in the State List (Ninth Schedule, List II, item 1). Each State Legislative Assembly therefore passes its own enactments (enakmen); in Sarawak they are ordinances (ordinan). Each state's Ruler, or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in states without a Ruler, is Head of Islam there. For the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, Parliament makes the laws as federal Acts. See Sharia in the Constitution.
From the 1990s onwards most states adopted laws modelled on the Federal Territories Acts. That is why this library uses the Federal Territories Acts as reference texts. Similar is not identical: for example, the minimum marriage age for Muslim women, the penalty for polygamy without permission, and whether a state has a Muslim wills (wasiat) law all vary. Two federal laws apply everywhere: the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355), which caps Syariah punishments, and the Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955, the civil machinery for distributing estates.
Core laws: administration, family, offences
Titles are given in short form: "Enakmen" is omitted for Peninsular states, and the year is the year of the principal enactment. Amendments noted are those shown on the official lists checked in October 2026.
| State | Administration | Family law | Syariah criminal offences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johor | Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Negeri Johor) 2003 | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Negeri Johor) 2003 | Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah (Negeri Johor) 1997 |
| Kedah | Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Islam (Kedah Darul Aman) 2008 (new or amending law reported passed 2024) | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Kedah Darul Aman) 2008 | Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah (Kedah Darul Aman) 2014 |
| Kelantan | Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Kelantan 1994 | Keluarga Islam (Negeri Kelantan) 2002 | Kanun Jenayah Syariah (I) 2019 (16 provisions void, Nik Elin 2024) |
| Melaka | Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Negeri Melaka) 2002 (amended 2022) | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Negeri Melaka) 2002 | Kesalahan Syariah (Negeri Melaka) 1991 |
| Negeri Sembilan | Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Negeri Sembilan) 2003 | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Negeri Sembilan) 2003 | Jenayah Syariah (Negeri Sembilan) 1992 |
| Pahang | Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Islam 1991 | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam 2005 (amended 2018) | Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah 2013 |
| Perak | Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Perak) 2004 (amended to 2018) | Keluarga Islam (Perak) 2004 | Jenayah (Syariah) 1992 |
| Perlis | Pentadbiran Agama Islam 2006 (amended 2024) | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam 2006 | Jenayah Dalam Syarak 1991 (amended 2012) |
| Pulau Pinang | Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Negeri Pulau Pinang) 2004 (amended 2023) | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Negeri Pulau Pinang) 2004 | Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah (Negeri Pulau Pinang) 1996 |
| Sabah | Majlis Ugama Islam Negeri Sabah Enactment 2004 (also Fatwa Enactment 2004; Syariah Courts Enactment 2024) | Islamic Family Law Enactment 2004 | Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1995 |
| Sarawak | Majlis Islam Sarawak Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 41); Syariah Courts Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 42) | Islamic Family Law Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 43) | Syariah Criminal Offences Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 46) |
| Selangor | Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Negeri Selangor) 2003 (amended, latest 2025) | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Negeri Selangor) 2003 (amended 2018) | Jenayah Syariah (Selangor) 1995 |
| Terengganu | Pentadbiran Hal Ehwal Agama Islam (Terengganu) 2001 (amended to 2012) | Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Terengganu) 2017 | Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah (Takzir) (Terengganu) 2001 |
| Federal Territories | Act 505 (1993) | Act 303 (1984) | Act 559 (1997) |
Procedure and evidence laws
| State | Criminal procedure | Evidence | Civil procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johor | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2003 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2003 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2003 |
| Kedah | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2014 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2014 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2014 |
| Kelantan | not verified, check state site | not verified, check state site | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2002 |
| Melaka | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2002 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2002 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2002 |
| Negeri Sembilan | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2003 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2003 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2003 |
| Pahang | Tatacara Jenayah Mahkamah Syariah 2002 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2005 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2002 |
| Perak | not verified, check state site | not verified, check state site | not verified, check state site |
| Perlis | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2006 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2006 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2006 |
| Pulau Pinang | Tatacara Jenayah Mahkamah Syariah 2004 (a Prosedur Jenayah Syariah 2004 is also listed) | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2004 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2004 |
| Sabah | Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment 2004 | Syariah Court Evidence Enactment 2004 | Syariah Court Civil Procedure Enactment 2004 |
| Sarawak | Syariah Criminal Procedure Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 45) | Syariah Evidence Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 47) | Syariah Civil Procedure Ordinance 2001 (Cap. 44) |
| Selangor | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2003 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2003 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2003 (amended 2018, 2022) |
| Terengganu | Tatacara Jenayah Syariah 2001 | Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah 2001 | Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah 2001 |
| Federal Territories | Act 560 (1997) | Act 561 (1997) | Act 585 (1998) |
Where a cell says not verified, the state does have such a law, but its current title or year could not be confirmed from an official source. Check the state links below.
Wakaf, wasiat (Muslim wills) and zakat laws
- Melaka: Wasiat Orang Islam (Negeri Melaka) 2005; Wakaf (Negeri Melaka) 2005.
- Negeri Sembilan: Wasiat Orang Islam (Negeri Sembilan) 2004; Wakaf (Negeri Sembilan) 2005.
- Pahang: Wasiat Orang Islam Pahang 2017; Wakaf Pahang 2022 (gazetted 2023).
- Perak: Wakaf (Perak) 2015; Wasiat Orang Islam Perak 2023. Zakat is under regulations (Peraturan Zakat dan Fitrah 2024), not a separate enactment.
- Selangor: Wasiat Orang Islam (Negeri Selangor) 1999 (amended 2016); Wakaf (Negeri Selangor) 2015.
- Terengganu: Wakaf (Terengganu) 2016.
- Kedah: Lembaga Zakat Negeri Kedah Darul Aman 2015 (zakat board).
- Sabah: Zakat and Fitrah Enactment 1993; Wakaf (State of Sabah) Enactment 2018 (amended 2023); Baitulmal Corporation Enactment 1998.
- Sarawak: no separate ordinance; wakaf and zakat are under rules made under the Majlis Islam Sarawak Ordinance 2001.
- Johor, Kelantan, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Federal Territories: no separate wakaf, wasiat or zakat enactment found. These matters are covered in the administration law (for the Federal Territories, Act 505 ss 60ā63) and rules made under it.
Where a state has a Muslim wills (wasiat) enactment, it may include rules such as wasiat wajibah (an obligatory bequest for orphaned grandchildren) that do not exist elsewhere. Check your state before relying on them. See Wills and estates and Malaysian law vs Sharia.
Notable state differences and recent changes
- Kelantan: its Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 came into force in 2021. On 9 February 2024 the Federal Court declared 16 provisions void in Nik Elin. Kelantan also has a 1993 Syariah Criminal Code (II) (hudud), amended in 2015, which cannot be enforced while Act 355's limits stand.
- Terengganu: a 2002 hudud and qisas enactment was passed but never enforced. Its family law was re-enacted in 2017, replacing the 1985 enactment.
- Selangor: its Syariah offences law is the Enakmen Jenayah Syariah (Selangor) 1995; s 28 of it was declared void in Iki Putra (2021). Its family-law enactment was amended in 2018.
- Sabah: a new Syariah Courts Enactment 2024 replaced the 2004 one.
- Sarawak: all its Islamic laws are 2001 Ordinances (Cap. 41ā47).
- Federal Territories: amendment bills on Act 505 and Act 585 passed the Dewan Rakyat in December 2024, and a separate Mufti (Federal Territories) Bill was still pending in 2026. See Act 505.
How to find and read your state's law
- Identify the state: usually where you live (family matters), where you married, where the property is, or where an offence happened.
- Go to the official list for that state:
- Johor: Johor Syariah Judiciary ā legislation
- Kedah: Kedah Syariah Judiciary
- Kelantan: Kelantan Islamic Council (MAIK)
- Melaka: MAIM ā enactments
- Negeri Sembilan: Negeri Sembilan Syariah Judiciary ā legal authority
- Pahang: MUIP ā enactments
- Perak: MAIPk ā laws
- Perlis: Perlis Syariah Judiciary ā enactments
- Pulau Pinang: Penang Syariah Judiciary ā enactments
- Sabah: Sabah State Attorney-General's Chambers ā Sabah laws
- Sarawak: Sarawak LawNet
- Selangor: MAIS ā laws and JAKESS ā Acts and enactments
- Terengganu: MAIDAM (enactments under Profil āŗ Dokumentasi)
- Federal Territories: Laws of Malaysia portal
- Check for amendments: the lists show "Pindaan" (amendment) enactments separately. Read them with the principal enactment.
- Match sections: use the Federal Territories page in this library to understand the concept, then find the matching section in your state's law by its heading, since numbers differ.
- Ask: the Syariah court registry, the state religious department (JAIN), the Legal Aid Department or a Peguam Syarie can confirm the current text. See Getting legal help.
Laws cited on this page
| Act 98 | Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955 Ā· Akta Harta Pesaka Kecil (Pembahagian) 1955 | Official text |
| Act 303 | Islamic Family Law (Federal Territory) Act 1984 Ā· Akta Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan) 1984 | Official text |
| Act 355 | Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 Ā· Akta Mahkamah Syariah (Bidang Kuasa Jenayah) 1965 | Official text |
| Act 505 | Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993 Ā· Akta Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Islam (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan) 1993 | Official text |
| Act 559 | Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 Ā· Akta Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan) 1997 | Official text |
| Act 560 | Syariah Criminal Procedure (Federal Territories) Act 1997 Ā· Akta Prosedur Jenayah Syariah (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan) 1997 | Official text |
| Act 561 | Syariah Court Evidence (Federal Territories) Act 1997 Ā· Akta Keterangan Mahkamah Syariah (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan) 1997 | Official text |
| Act 585 | Syariah Court Civil Procedure (Federal Territories) Act 1998 Ā· Akta Tatacara Mal Mahkamah Syariah (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan) 1998 | Official text |
Listed automatically from the federal Acts named on this page. All laws of Malaysia ā
Key sections
| Provision | What it says, in plain words |
|---|---|
| FC Art 74(2) | States legislate on State List matters. |
| FC Ninth Sch, List II item 1 | Islamic law, Syariah courts, offences, zakat and wakaf are state matters (except the Federal Territories). |
| FC Art 3(5) | Parliament legislates on Islamic affairs for the Federal Territories. |
| Act 355 s 2 | Federal ceiling on Syariah criminal penalties for all states (3 years / RM5,000 / 6 strokes). |
| Act 505 / state administration enactments | Set up each state's Majlis, Mufti, Syariah courts and Baitulmal. |
| Act 303 / state family enactments | Marriage, polygamy, divorce, maintenance, custody, harta sepencarian. |
Worked examples
Facts. Nadia married in Shah Alam but now lives in Kuala Lumpur and wants a divorce.
The law. Divorce jurisdiction follows residence: the Federal Territories court can act if either party resides there (Act 303 s 45). Selangor's 2003 Enactment has the equivalent rule for Selangor residents.
Outcome. She can file in the Federal Territories Syariah court under Act 303. The registry will confirm.
Facts. Hafiz's father died before his grandfather. The grandfather, who lived in Negeri Sembilan, has now died.
The law. Negeri Sembilan has a Wasiat Orang Islam Enactment (2004). Some states' wasiat laws provide for wasiat wajibah for such grandchildren; states without a wasiat law follow classical faraid, under which he may not inherit.
Outcome. Hafiz should check the Negeri Sembilan enactment and raise it at the Syariah court when the faraid certificate is applied for.
Facts. Two friends are caught for khalwat, one in Johor and one in Penang.
The law. Each is charged under his own state's offences enactment (Johor 1997; Pulau Pinang 1996), with different section numbers and possibly different maximum penalties, all within Act 355.
Outcome. Each should read his own state's enactment and get advice from a Peguam Syarie there.
Examples are simplified illustrations with invented names; real cases turn on their own facts.
Questions & answers
Why are Islamic laws different in each state?
Because the Constitution makes Islamic law a state matter (List II item 1). Each state assembly passes its own enactments under its Ruler as Head of Islam. Most follow similar models, so the main rules are alike, but details differ.
Which state's law applies to me?
Usually the state where you live (for family matters), where the property is (wakaf, some estate matters), or where an offence was committed. The Syariah court registry will tell you whether it has jurisdiction.
Where can I read my state's enactment?
On the official site of your state's Islamic council, Syariah judiciary department or state law office (links above), or the Sarawak LawNet and Sabah State Attorney-General's sites. Federal Territories Acts are on the Laws of Malaysia portal.
Can I rely on the Federal Territories pages in this library?
They explain the concepts and the usual structure. For section numbers, penalties and time limits, always check your own state's enactment, which may differ.
Does my state have a Muslim wills law?
As listed here, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Selangor have Wasiat Orang Islam enactments. In other states Muslim wills are governed by Hukum Syarak and the administration enactment. Check with your state's religious council.
All questions & answers ā Ā· Ask your own ā
Sources
- Federal Constitution, Ninth Schedule List II item 1 (Constitute Project, amendments through 2025)
- Johor Syariah Judiciary Department ā Perundangan Syariah
- Kedah Syariah Judiciary ā Islamic Family Law Enactment 2008 (PDF)
- Kedah Syariah Judiciary ā Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 2014 (PDF)
- MAIM (Melaka) ā Enakmen MAIM
- Negeri Sembilan Syariah Judiciary ā Punca Kuasa
- MUIP (Pahang) ā Enakmen
- MAIPk (Perak) ā Undang-undang
- Perlis Syariah Judiciary ā Enakmen Mahkamah
- Penang Syariah Judiciary ā Enakmen
- Sabah State Attorney-General's Chambers ā Sabah laws
- Sarawak LawNet (Ordinances, Cap. 41ā47)
- MAIS (Selangor) ā Undang-undang
- JAKESS (Selangor) ā Akta, Enakmen, Ordinan
- MAIDAM (Terengganu) ā Wakaf Enactment 2016, gazette (PDF)
- Laws of Malaysia portal (Federal Territories Acts)
Related
Sharia in the Federal ConstitutionAdministration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993 (Act 505)Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984 (Act 303)Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 559)Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355)Syariah courtsMuslim family law and Islamic estate planning