From the Nadrah Tragedy to the Administration of Muslim Law Act: A Discourse of Singapore Administration of Muslim Law Act 1950–1966

In the early 1950s, the Nadrah issue began to gain attention worldwide since the custody hearing involving her Malay adopted mother and her biological Dutch parents was ongoing. One of the dominant issues in the Nadrah tragedy was her marriage and its relation to Islamic laws. The issue became the topic of discussion among the community and was published in newspapers as well as magazines, at that time. This article discussed the development of Islamic law from the tragedy until the establishment of Muslim Administration Law in Singapore. This research employed a historical theme and utilised qualitative methods. The resources and materials used in this article were obtained from the National Archives Malaysia, Tun Sri Lanang Library at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the main library of Universiti Malaya (UM), Perpustakaan Peringatan Za’ba UM, Perpustakaan Ahmad Ibrahim UM, Perpustakaan Akademi Pengajian Islam UM, and others. Findings indicated that the Nadrah tragedy is the catalyst for the discussions on Islamic law, especially on matters regarding marriage. Several bills to protect women, particularly in matters pertaining to marriage and divorce, were established. The bills facilitated the improvement of Shariah laws through the legal drafting of the Administration of Muslim Law Bill 1960 and the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966.