Singapore's new Islamic college to offer counselling, psychology alongside Islamic studies under AMLA amendments

Singapore is set to take a significant step in strengthening its Islamic institutions and support for Muslim families.

Proposed amendments to the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) will recognise Singapore's first Islamic college, introduce streamlined procedures for certain Muslim divorce cases and strengthen protections for children, Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad said during the Bill's Second Reading in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 3).

New Islamic college to offer interdisciplinary education

The Singapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS), which will welcome its first cohort in 2028, will offer an undergraduate degree in Islamic Studies, alongside elective modules in social sciences such as counselling, social work and psychology.

Students will also have opportunities for overseas immersion at established Islamic institutions and internships beyond the traditional religious sector, including in social services, family law and Islamic finance.

Zaqy said the college would provide an alternative pathway for madrasah graduates to pursue higher Islamic education locally while remaining connected to international Islamic scholarship through partnerships with institutions in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.

SCIS has established partnerships with Dar al-Ifta in Egypt, the University of Jordan, Al-Qarawiyyin University in Morocco and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

"Our future asatizah must be deeply grounded in Islamic knowledge and tradition, while understanding the society in which they serve," he said.

The amendments will establish an oversight framework under which the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will oversee SCIS' provision of tertiary religious education, while the college retains autonomy over its strategy, administration and academic policies.

An advisory panel comprising scholars and leaders from international Islamic institutions and local universities will also advise the college on global education trends and research opportunities.

The Government will fund a significant proportion of SCIS' non-religious components, including its social sciences modules and campus infrastructure, while MUIS may provide funding from community funds such as zakat and wakaf, subject to applicable requirements.

Funding may also come from the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF), in line with the applicable requirements governing those funds.

Muslim divorce procedures to be streamlined

Turning to Muslim marriages and divorce, Zaqy stressed that the amendments are not intended to make divorce easier.

"These amendments are not intended to encourage divorce, nor do they lower the substantive legal requirements for obtaining one," he said.

"We will continue to support reconciliation wherever possible. What we are doing is removing unnecessary procedural burdens, while strengthening safeguards for families, particularly children."

The proposed amendments will also remove certain procedural requirements in Muslim divorce proceedings without changing the substantive grounds for divorce, Zaqy said.

Couples who agree to divorce through talak tafwidh, in which a husband delegates the right to pronounce divorce to his wife, will no longer need to appoint hakam, or marital conciliators.

The Syariah Court may also waive the requirement for two sworn witnesses in fasakh applications, which seek the annulment of Muslim marriages due to harm or breach of marital obligations, if other evidence is sufficient.

Muslim couples who have obtained a divorce overseas will also be able to seek financial and child custody-related orders through the Syariah Court, instead of having to navigate proceedings across multiple courts.

The amendments will also require at least one party to an intended marriage to have stayed in Singapore for a minimum period if either party is neither a Singapore citizen nor permanent resident, although the Registry of Muslim Marriages may waive the requirement in appropriate circumstances.

Zaqy clarified that the requirement applies even if only one party is not a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, and that only one party needs to satisfy the minimum period of stay.

He said these changes are intended to ease the burden on families facing marital breakdown.

"When families are already going through such a difficult period, we should be helping them find a way forward, not adding to their burden. Our laws and institutions must reflect that same compassion," he said.

Children's welfare to be paramount consideration

"Through the amendments to our marriage and divorce laws, we are reaffirming the importance of marriage, strengthening fairness and compassion when families face difficulties, and placing the welfare of children at the centre of our decisions," Zaqy said.

The amendments will explicitly establish the welfare of children as the paramount consideration in Syariah Court (SYC) decisions concerning them, in line with existing principles under Muslim law.

The court will also be empowered to make orders preventing a child from being relocated overseas and to specify where a child should reside as part of custody, care or control orders.

Zaqy said these powers would allow the court to consider the impact of an overseas relocation on a child's education, stability and relationships with both parents.

Existing safeguards for overseas Muslim divorces will remain, with parties required to obtain the SYC's permission before applying for financial and child-related orders, and the court will consider whether Singapore is the most appropriate jurisdiction to hear the matter.

"Whatever difficulties parents may face with one another, their children deserve to grow up feeling safe, loved and supported," Zaqy said.

"A marriage may end. But a parent's responsibility to their child does not," he added.

helmy.saat@asiaone.com

新加坡将采取重大举措，加强其伊斯兰机构建设，并加大对穆斯林家庭的支持力度。

代理穆斯林事务部长扎基·穆罕默德在周二（11月3日）国会二读该法案时表示，拟议的《穆斯林法律管理法》（AMLA）修正案将承认新加坡第一所伊斯兰学院，为某些穆斯林离婚案件引入简化程序，并加强对儿童的保护。

新伊斯兰学院将提供跨学科教育

新加坡伊斯兰研究学院（SCIS）将于 2028 年迎来首批学生，该学院将提供伊斯兰研究本科课程，以及咨询、社会工作和心理学等社会科学选修模块。

学生还将有机会在知名的伊斯兰机构进行海外沉浸式学习，并在传统宗教领域之外进行实习，包括社会服务、家庭法和伊斯兰金融等领域。

扎基表示，该学院将为伊斯兰学校毕业生提供一条在本地接受更高伊斯兰教育的替代途径，同时通过与埃及、约旦和摩洛哥的机构合作，与国际伊斯兰学术界保持联系。

SCIS已与埃及Dar al-Ifta、约旦大学、摩洛哥卡拉维因大学和新加坡社会科学大学（SUSS）建立了合作伙伴关系。

他说：“我们未来的阿萨提扎必须深深扎根于伊斯兰知识和传统，同时也要了解他们所服务的社会。”

这些修正案将建立一个监督框架，根据该框架，新加坡伊斯兰宗教理事会（MUIS）将监督新加坡伊斯兰学院（SCIS）提供的高等宗教教育，而该学院则保留对其战略、行政和学术政策的自主权。

一个由国际伊斯兰机构和当地大学的学者和领导人组成的顾问小组也将就全球教育趋势和研究机会向学院提供建议。

政府将资助新加坡伊斯兰学校（SCIS）非宗教部分的大部分资金，包括其社会科学模块和校园基础设施，而新加坡伊斯兰宗教理事会（MUIS）可能会根据适用要求，从社区基金（如天课和瓦克夫）中提供资金。

资金也可能来自清真寺建设和门达基基金（MBMF），但须符合管理这些基金的适用要求。

简化穆斯林离婚程序

谈到穆斯林婚姻和离婚问题时，扎基强调，这些修正案的目的并非为了让离婚变得更容易。

他说：“这些修正案并非旨在鼓励离婚，也不会降低获得离婚的实质性法律要求。”

“我们将继续尽可能地支持和解。我们正在做的是消除不必要的程序负担，同时加强对家庭，特别是儿童的保障。”

扎基表示，拟议的修正案还将取消穆斯林离婚诉讼中的某些程序性要求，但不会改变离婚的实质性理由。

通过 talak tafwidh 离婚的夫妻，即丈夫将宣布离婚的权利委托给妻子，将不再需要任命 hakam（婚姻调解员）。

如果其他证据足够充分，伊斯兰教法庭也可以免除因婚姻义务受到伤害或违反而寻求撤销穆斯林婚姻的法萨赫申请中两名宣誓证人的要求。

在海外获得离婚的穆斯林夫妇也可以通过伊斯兰教法庭寻求与财务和子女监护权相关的命令，而无需在多个法院之间辗转进行诉讼。

修订后的规定还要求，如果拟结婚的双方中至少有一方既不是新加坡公民也不是永久居民，则该方必须在新加坡居住至少一段时间；不过，穆斯林婚姻登记处在适当情况下可以豁免这一要求。

Zaqy 澄清说，即使只有一方不是新加坡公民或永久居民，也适用该要求，并且只有一方需要满足最低居住期限。

他表示，这些改变旨在减轻面临婚姻破裂的家庭的负担。

他说：“当家庭已经经历如此艰难的时期时，我们应该帮助他们找到前进的方向，而不是加重他们的负担。我们的法律和制度必须体现同样的同情心。”

儿童福利应是首要考虑因素。

扎基表示：“通过对婚姻和离婚法的修订，我们重申了婚姻的重要性，加强了家庭面临困难时的公平和同情，并将儿童的福祉置于我们决策的核心。”

这些修正案将明确规定，儿童的福祉是伊斯兰教法庭 (SYC) 就儿童相关事宜作出裁决时的首要考虑因素，这符合伊斯兰教法的现有原则。

法院还将有权下令禁止将儿童移居海外，并根据监护、照顾或控制令指定儿童的居住地。

扎基表示，这些权力将使法院能够考虑海外搬迁对孩子的教育、稳定以及与父母双方关系的影响。

现有的针对海外穆斯林离婚的保障措施将继续有效，当事人在申请财务和子女抚养权相关命令之前，必须获得新加坡青年法院的许可，法院将考虑新加坡是否是审理此案的最合适司法管辖区。

“无论父母之间可能存在什么困难，他们的孩子都应该在安全、被爱和被支持的环境中成长，”扎基说。

“婚姻可能会结束，但父母对子女的责任不会结束，”他补充道。

helmy.saat@asiaone.com