Dr Prakash Shah's comments appear in Le Point's article on Sharia Law (French language). He says that there are different types of Sharia Board in the UK and that their definition is not fixed. Some acquire an institutional status and operate like a court, while others are more informal and may be held in a mosque. He adds that the British government largely ignores these institutions - while Sharia law is not recognised by the British state, it is not banned. Dr Shah also comments on Islamic marriage, as concerned authorities see a growing refusal on the part of Muslim couples to go through a civil marriage. "In a way, by performing only religious marriage, Muslims are held more and more away from the official law," he says.