How does the application of sharia differ between Saudi Arabia and Turkey?

The application of sharia differs fundamentally between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, representing two distinct approaches to the role of religious law in governance.

In Saudi Arabia, sharia serves as the primary basis of justice and legislation. The legal system is deeply rooted in the conservative Hanbali tradition, and the country maintains a network of hundreds of sharia courts. While the state has introduced administrative law through royal decrees to address modern issues not covered by traditional precepts, the judiciary remains heavily influenced by the ulama (religious scholars), and the system is known for severe punishments, including capital punishment and amputation.123

In contrast, Turkey has fully abandoned sharia as a legal framework. Following the reforms of the 1920s under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the country established a secular republic and replaced religious courts with legal codes modeled after Western systems, such as the Swiss Civil and Italian penal codes. Turkey’s political system is built on the principle of laiklik (assertive secularism), which explicitly separates the state from religious authority.3456