ISLAMIC LAW IN THE NEWS
- “The Taliban have suspended the activities of two TV stations in Afghanistan, alleging they failed to ‘consider national and Islamic values.'” For more content and context on the recent developments in Afghanistan, consult our Editor-in-Chief, Professor Intisar Rabb’s “Resource Roundup: Afghanistan, the Taliban, and Islamic Law.”
- “In yet another incident of vigilante justice in Indonesia’s religiously conservative Aceh province [in Indonesia], some residents of Lhokseumawe city threw sewer water on an unmarried couple who allegedly violated Islamic law by having sexual relations, officials confirmed Wednesday. This time, the province’s fatwa-issuing body, the Majlis Permusyawaratan Ulama, denounced the actions of the residents of Banda Sakti sub-district, saying they had degraded the non-Muslim duo’s self-respect in an unjustifiable way.” For more content and context on harsh interpretations and applications of Islamic criminal law, consult our Editor-in-Chief, Professor Intisar Rabb’s “Resource Roundup: Islamic Criminal Law.” For more news blurbs relating to harsh applications of Islamic criminal law, consult our “Islamic Criminal Law in the News Roundup.”
- “The global sukuk market [also known as Islamic bonds], as of the third quarter of 2023, boasted a total value of $823.4bn, marking an annual growth of 9.8%.”
- “The Canadian government is [reported to be] exploring options to broaden access to financing alternatives, including halal mortgages. This initiative is part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s efforts to support Canadians aspiring to become homeowners, with a particular focus on the Muslim community.”
CASES AND FATWĀS
- “In a rare verdict that highlights the complexity of Pakistani law, a sessions court in Malir recently sentenced one Fareed Qadir to 80 lashes for the grave offence of qazf [i.e., false accusation of adultery].”
- “Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, has highlighted the adaptability of Islamic law in addressing contemporary issues and stressed the increasing responsibility of Islamic scholars amid technological advancements.”
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
PIL & Harvard Calendar:
- Islamic Law Speaker Series: “The Umayyad Empire” with Andrew Marsham, Program in Islamic Law, May 14, 2024.
Calendar:
- MESA Scholarship: MESA Global Academy, 2024-2025, May 1, 2024.
- Call for Proposals: Symposium, 2025 Association of American Law Schools Meeting, May 6, 2024.
- Conference: The 2024 Giorgio Levi Della Vida Award Presentation and Conference, May 16-17, 2024.
- Leiden Yemeni Studies Lecture Series: History of Water Management in Yemen: An Interdisciplinary Study, May 20, 2024.
- International Course on Legal Pluralism: Commission on Legal Pluralism, January 8-11, 2025 (deadline: May 20, 2024).
- Webinar: Revisiting the History of Medieval Libya (7th-16th centuries): Between Ṭarābulus and Aṭrābulus. The journey of the toponym and difficulties in determining its form, May 22, 2024.
- Call for Papers: The Medieval Academy at 100, The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America, March 20-22, 2025 (deadline: June 3, 2024).
- Leiden Yemeni Studies Lecture Series: Mapping the Past, Imagining the Future: Heritage Politics in Ḥūthī Yemen, June 24, 2024.
- Webinar: Revisiting the History of Medieval Libya (7th-16th centuries): Surveying and documentation of the archaeological city of Barca (Al-Marj), June 26, 2024.
- Symposium on Copyright in Islamic Legal Tradition, Istanbul, June 28-29, 2024.
- Workshop: ASLH Early Career Virtual Workshop, June 30, 2024.
- Call for Papers: De Jure: Jurnal Hukum dan Syar’iah, June 2024.
- Call for Proposals: Hot Topics Program, 2025 Association of American Law Schools Meeting, October 14, 2024.
- Search for Editor: International Journal of Middle East Studies, until an appointment is made.
- Internship opportunity: The Executive Office of the President, White House, various deadlines.
- Position opening: Academic mentor and field researcher in Iraq, Cordoba Peace Institute-Geneva (CPI) & ETH Zurich, rolling basis.
- Position opening: Academic mentor for researcher in Mogadishu, Cordoba Peace Institute-Geneva (CPI) & ETH Zurich.
- Call for Papers: Special Section – Lifewriting Annual and Islam.
- Call for Manuscripts: Advances in the Study of Islam, Edinburgh University Press.