KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 54,506 Muslim divorce cases were registered nationwide in the first nine months of this year, with Selangor recording the highest number.

According to Syariah Department data provided to Berita Harian, 44,603 cases have been resolved, 9,394 remain in proceedings, and 509 were categorised as archived.

Syariah Judiciary Department senior director (judiciary) Abu Suffian Abu Yaziz said cases categorised as resolved include divorces through mutual consent, decisions delivered after trial, and court-ordered dissolutions.

"However, not all resolved cases mean the couple is legally divorced, as applications such as fasakh can be rejected if the grounds provided lack basis and sufficient evidence under syarak," he said.