Ralph Grillo, who wrote for the SHARIAsourceBlog in March regarding “The Independent Review into the application of Sharia law in England and Wales” by the UK Home Office, just published an article in the Journal of Muslims in Europe on this ongoing legal and policy debate. In his article (“Comment on the Report of the … Continue reading Islamic Law Scholarship Round Up: Oct 19th
In the News: Interfaith Marriages and Islamic Law in Tunisia
Last fall, Tunisia overturned a 1973 law that banned Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men. (It is generally accepted by Islamic scholars that men are permitted to marry women of certain monotheistic faiths that predate Islam, such as Judaism and Christianity; however, the opposite scenario—Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men—is a source of contention.) Supporters of … Continue reading In the News: Interfaith Marriages and Islamic Law in Tunisia
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program: Methods in Islamic Studies Workshop
On Friday, October 12th, the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program hosted a workshop for Harvard's NELC graduate students and faculty on methods in Islamic studies. The workshop consisted of four sessions: Middle East and Islamic Library Resources, Islamic Studies & the Digital Humanities, Visual Tools for Islamic Studies, and Quest to Document Modern … Continue reading Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program: Methods in Islamic Studies Workshop
Recent Scholarship: Sidło on Apostasy
SHARIAsource Editor Katarzyna Sidło’s article in the Marburg Journal of Religion discusses a 2013 study of Jordanians who had converted out of Islam. In Sidło words, “Due to the religious and cultural taboo surrounding apostasy, those who left Islam are notoriously difficult to access in a systematic way and constitute what is known in social … Continue reading Recent Scholarship: Sidło on Apostasy
In the News: Islamic Banks and FinTech
Last month, a representative of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology—a public-private taskforce overseen by the prime minister to examine ways of using new technology to promote business opportunities—suggested that Islamic banks could reduce legal and administrative costs by using "blockchain." Blockchain is a type of electronic ledger, and according to the representative, blockchain … Continue reading In the News: Islamic Banks and FinTech
Islamic Law & Law of the Muslim World eJournal: Oct 5th
This week’s issue of the Islamic Law & Law of the Muslim World eJournal includes: “Open Issues in European International Family Law: Sahyouni, “Private Divorces” and Islamic law under the Rome III Regulation” by Susanne Lilian Gössl This paper examines whether the Rome III Regulation, an EU legal pact concerning which law to use in … Continue reading Islamic Law & Law of the Muslim World eJournal: Oct 5th
SHARIAsource Lunch Talk :: The Social Impact of Legal Patchworking (Talfīq)
Aaron Spevack, SHARIAsource Visiting Fellow 2018-2019, spoke on his current research into legal patchworking (talfīq). He examined debates for and against this legal tool, its role in the creation of sharīʿa-compliant financial instruments within Islamic law, the potential individual harms it can inflict, along with the potential social good. The event was livetweeted and may … Continue reading SHARIAsource Lunch Talk :: The Social Impact of Legal Patchworking (Talfīq)
In the News: Muslim Marriages in South Africa
On August 31st, a South African court ruled that Islamic law marriages must be recognized by the government in order to provide greater protections to women and children in case of divorce. Currently in South Africa, the law recognizes “customary marriages,” but only when they are part of the “customs and usages traditionally observed among … Continue reading In the News: Muslim Marriages in South Africa
Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl on “Islamic Law in an Age of Fear”
On October 1st, 2018, Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl spoke to a gathering of around 40 students and scholars at Harvard Law School for a SHARIAsource lunch talk entitled "Islamic Law in an Age of Fear." He discussed themes from his new book, focusing on the widening epistemological gaps between historical practice and modern consciousness. … Continue reading Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl on “Islamic Law in an Age of Fear”
Recent Scholarship: Jaraba on Divorce
A recent article in Islamic Law and Society on "The Practice of Khulʿ in Germany: Pragmatism versus Conservativism," by Mahmoud Jaraba, examines how Muslim women who are religiously-married in Germany might initiate no-fault divorce in the absence of a German registered civil marriage. Because there is no Muslim state authority to consult, local imams and … Continue reading Recent Scholarship: Jaraba on Divorce