Mahkamah Rendah Syariah (the first-level court for most Islamic family cases)

Mahkamah Rendah Syariah is the first-level court in each state’s Syariah judiciary, where most divorce, maintenance, and custody cases are filed and heard.

A common case: a wife who wants to file for fasakh or nafkah anak starts her application at her district’s Mahkamah Rendah Syariah, not directly at the Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah.

If either party is unhappy with the decision, an appeal goes to the Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah, rather than starting the case fresh elsewhere.

Read the process of filing a divorce case for the first step at this court.