ISLAMIC LAW IN THE NEWS
- “Sedigheh Vasmaghi, an Islamic scholar and religious researcher, has criticized Iran‘s use of archaic legal terms to issue death sentences for protesters. In a recent audio statement, she said, ‘The lives of thousands in the Islamic Republic are threatened by terms like “moharebeh” (waging war against God) and “ifsad fil-arz” (corruption on earth), which are irrelevant in today’s world.'”
- “Islamic financing, also known as Murabaha financing, reached MAD 21.4 billion ($2.4 billion) in Morocco in 2023, up from MAD 17.4 billion ($1.9 billion) a year earlier, according to the latest report by Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM).”
- “President William Ruto [of Kenya] has directed the financial regulators to work with the Treasury and Islamic finance stakeholders to develop a regulatory framework that can support the growth of Islamic finance in the country.”
- “The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has approved a regulation enabling microfinance organizations (MFIs) to offer Islamic finance services.”
CASES AND FATWĀS
- “The Shuroi Ulamo (Council of Ulema – Tajikistan‘s highest Islamic institution) has issued a fatwa . . . in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government) on national clothing, stating that Tajik national clothing ‘fully complies with the requirements of Hanafi jurisprudence.’ Therefore, it recommends that women in the country refrain from wearing clothing that is “alien to the culture and religion, which is promoted with certain goals.”
- “[T]he Kerala High Court [India] has ruled that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 supersedes the personal laws including the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937. The court stated that every Indian citizen, regardless of their religion and location, is bound to adhere to the law prohibiting child marriage.”
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Calendar:
- Call for Submissions: Pedagogy Files in Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā, September 1, 2024.
- Call for Papers: “Islamic Law and Social Movements,” 2025 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), September 9, 2024.
- Call for Proposals: Hot Topics Program, 2025 Association of American Law Schools Meeting, October 14, 2024.
- Conference: Law, colonialism and gender in the Muslim world, December 19-20, 2024.
- Conference: MESA 2025, Westin Downtown, Washington DC, November 22-25, 2025.
- 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.