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Family law in the Arab world is characterized by such political and religious symbolism that the reference to religion has become a means of participation in public debate that cannot be ignored. No actor questions its predominance any more and even feminist organizations have finally come round to this discursive framework dominated by the quest of the “true meaning” of religious sources in personal status matters. Through the analysis of the drafting process of the “khul’ law” in Egypt in 2000 and the debates and mobilizations that surrounded its adoption, this paper will analyse tensions and points of contention within the Egyptian political scene and the significance of the religious reference, while questioning the role that legal norms imposed by the State can play in creating social change.