The Osun State Muslim Community (OSMC) has expressed concern over what it describes as a misconception of the Shari'a legal system in the state.

The president of OSMC, Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi, on Saturday in Osogbo, the state capital, said many non-Muslims have a wrong perception of Shari'a law, a situation he believes has hindered its acceptance and official recognition.

Olawuyi said this during the 20th anniversary of the Osun State Independent Shari'a Panel, established by the state muslim community.

The OSMC president said that for more than two decades, the independent Shari'a panel has successfully handled cases involving inheritance, marital disputes, and imamship conflicts.

He lamented that despite such, the panel has yet to receive official recognition from the government.

Olawuyi called for greater public understanding of Shari'a law, insisting that it is a voluntary legal framework for Muslims in matters of personal and family law.

The Registrar of the Shari'a panel and Chief Imam of Telemu, Sheikh Musa Raji, said that the misconceptions surrounding the Shari'a legal system are largely responsible for the lack of formal recognition.

The guest speaker of the anniversary, Dr AbdulHakeem Abdullateef, urged state governments across Nigeria to allow the establishment of Shari'a panels where Muslim communities desire them.