ISLAMIC LAW IN THE NEWS
- In Sri Lanka, “[a]ctivists working in the field of gender, human rights, and family law, such as the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law (GCEFL) and Equality Now, [have] repeatedly point[ed] out that the law has multiple gaps that leave women and children vulnerable to exploitation, detract from Islamic legal practices, and fail to take into account the lived experiences of Muslim women in Sri Lanka.”
- Singaporean scholars have recently commented that “[i]n a secular and multireligious state like Singapore, where harmony and the rule of law are foundational, Singaporean Muslims should discern and turn to trusted local institutions for religious clarity. They should seek guidance from trusted local institutions like the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) and the Fatwa Committee, ensuring that religious practice remains grounded, lawful, and socially responsible.”
- “Iran’s Judiciary Spokesperson Asghar Jahangir confirmed during a press briefing . . . that the death sentence issued against Iranian singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudlou, known as Tataloo, has been finalized and is ready for enforcement.”
- “Halal tourism alone is projected to contribute nearly US$350 billion to the global tourism economy by 2030.”
- In Malaysia, “Syariah lawyer Marlina Amir Hamzah [has] explained that a wife’s rights under Islam are protected by the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984 and similar laws at the state level.”
- “Abdullah Badawi, fondly called ‘Pak Lah,’ died on 14 April 2025. During his tenure as Malaysia’s leader (2003-2009), he internationalised Islam Hadhari, which comprises a set of 10 progressive and moderate Islamic values.”
CASES AND FATWĀS
- In a recent order, the Allahabad High Court [India] has observed that while Islam permits polygamy under specific conditions, some individuals are misusing this provision for selfish reasons and sexual gratification. Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal noted that while Islamic law permits a Muslim man to marry more than once, this is contingent upon the equal treatment of all wives.
- “Kuwait has enacted a significant legal reform by repealing Article 159 of its Penal Code, which previously allowed leniency for mothers who killed their newborns immediately after birth to avoid social shame. Under the former law, such acts were punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to 375 Kuwaiti dinars. With the repeal, these cases will now be prosecuted under the general provisions for murder, subjecting offenders to the full extent of the law.”
- “The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that six individuals including four men and two women were publicly flogged in the Hesa Awal Kohistan district of Kapisa province.”
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Calendar:
- Call for Papers: “Towards a Global Ecological-Economic Legal Framework,” ESIL IG, Paris, June 6-7, 2025 (deadline February 28, 2025).
- Prize: Phanor J. Eder Prize in Comparative Law, Younger Comparativists Committee, June 13, 2025.
- 2025 Hurst Summer Institute: Legal History, University of Wisconsin Law School, June 15-27, 2025.
- Arabic Intensive Program: SABLA 2025 Summer Arabic Intensive Program, Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, Washington, D.C., June 16 – July 17, 2025 (Deadline June 2, 2025).
- Conference: Law, Culture, and Humanities 27th Annual Conference, Georgetown University, June 17-18, 2025 (Call for Papers deadline: January 31, 2025).
- IISMM Seminar Series: “Waqfs, women and circles of power,” IISMM, France (remote option), June 20, 2025.
- Conference: The Middle Ages in the Modern World, London Strand Campus, King’s College London, June 24-26, 2025 (Call for Papers deadline: January 13, 2025).
- Making Connections: New Works in Legal History Series, American Society for Legal History, June 30, 2025.
- Workshop: “From Classical ML to AI in Arabic and Islamic Studies,” Hamburg University, July 1-4, 2025 (Deadline: April 30, 2025)
- Summer Language Intensive Program: Istanbul University Institute for Islamic Studies, July 7 – August 8, 2025.
- Prize: Colin B. Picker Prize, Younger Comparativists Committee, August 15, 2025.
- Summer School: Philology and Manuscripts from the Muslim World, Leiden University, August 18-29, 2025 (Application deadline: May 5, 2025).
- Faculty Fellow: Faculty Fellow in Near Eastern Studies, New York University, 2025-2026, September 1, 2025 (Deadline: March 24, 2025).
- Call for Proposals: Paris Congress at 125: Comparative Law’s Entanglement with Power from Paris to Today, McGill University, Canada, October 16-18, 2025 (Deadline: May 31, 2025).
- Conference: 5th ACM Conference on Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization, University of Pittsburgh, November 5-7, 2025.
- Call for Papers: ASLH 2025 Annual Meeting, Detroit, MI, November 13-15, 2025 (Deadline: March 25, 2025).
- Call for Papers: International Conference “Poetry and Knowledge,” University of Münster, November 20-22, 2025 (Deadline: June 1, 2025).
- Conference: MESA 2025, Westin Downtown, Washington DC, November 22-25, 2025 (Proposal deadline: February 13, 2025).
- Position opening: Senior Lecturer in Law, History, and Society, Vanderbilt University, 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.