ISLAMIC LAW IN THE NEWS
- “Uzbekistan has completed a major restoration of the Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex near Samarkand, one of the Muslim world’s most revered pilgrimage sites….Imam al-Bukhari (810–870 CE) was a renowned Islamic scholar, author of Sahih al-Bukhari, one of the most trusted collections of the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings.”
- The International Committee of the Red Cross “organized the first-ever expert workshop with the Shariah courts on the missing under Islamic law. The workshop which took place online on 4 December 2025 aimed at discussing with Shariah Court judges, prosecutors, Islamic law professors and practitioners the legal status of the missing persons and the possible solutions to enhance the legal framework in the national legislations in relevant Muslim-majority contexts.”
- According to Egypt’s Grand Mufti Nazir Ayyad, “Fatwas are no longer mere answers to legal questions, but they have evolved into a dynamic knowledge and organisational system that engages with real-world challenges, bridging Sharia texts with contemporary societal needs, and promoting social security and human dignity.”
- In India, “a high-level delegation of Muslim leaders on Thursday met Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju to highlight the difficulties faced by the community in uploading Waqf properties to the government’s UMEED portal.”
- “The Sultanate of Oman‘s National Halal System Task Force convened for its third meeting to review progress on the development and launch of the integrated framework, a key initiative aimed at enhancing the global competitiveness of Omani products.”
CASES, FATWĀS, LEGISLATION ON ISLAMIC LAW
- An interactive map from The New Arab “shows the legal status of alcohol purchases in 46 of the Muslim-majority countries worldwide. You can hover over countries for an explanation of their laws.”
- “Austria’s National Council has approved a hijab ban for girls under 14 in schools with broad cross-party support. The measure prohibits head coverings worn ‘according to Islamic traditions’ in all public and private schools.”
- The Indian Supreme Court “observed that the social practice of dowry has diffused into Muslim marriages, and has hollowed out the original protective intent of ‘mehr’, a mandatory Islamic bridal gift from groom to bride. The court made the remarks while setting aside an Allahabad High Court order that had acquitted a husband and his mother in a dowry death case, contrary to the findings of the trial court.”
- In Malaysia, “Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has urged the Melaka Islamic Religious Affairs Department to [review] the decision of a reported ban on Christmas decorations at halal-certified eateries and hotels. The Merlimau assemblyman said the halal status of food and beverages is determined entirely by their ingredients and method of preparation, not by festive decorations.” For more content and context on Islamic law in Malaysia, consult our Editor-in-Chief Professor Intisar Rabb’s “Legislation and Regulation of Islamic Law in Malaysia” and its appended resource roundup.
- “The Lahore High Court [Pakistan] has held that a husband cannot be prosecuted for rape of his wife unless the pronouncement of divorce takes legal effect in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (MFLO) 1961.”
- Iran has “executed a woman in the country’s northwest after convicting her of killing her four-year-old stepdaughter, the judiciary said….The woman was sentenced in March 2024 to qisas – Islamic law of retribution – a punishment which allows the family of a victim to demand the death penalty.”
- “Kano State [Nigeria] Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has issued an executive order prohibiting the formation and operation of a group known as ‘Independent Hisbah Fisabilillahi’, declaring it illegal and a threat to public order in the state.”
- In Afghanistan, the Taliban “have carried out public floggings against at least 108 people over the past three weeks, according to data compiled from statements issued by their supreme court.” 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.”
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
PIL & Harvard Events:
- Workshop: Arabic TEI (Textual Encoding Initiative), April 2–3, 2026
Global Events:
- Conference: Faith, Values, and the Rule of Law—An Interdisciplinary Conference, Seton Hall University School of Law, February February 4–5, 2026
- Conference: American Society for Premodern Asia Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, April 24–27, 2026
- Conference: Middle East History and Theory Conference (MEHAT), University of Chicago, May 1–2, 2026
- Workshop: The Law and Humanities Workshop for Junior Scholars, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, June 8–9, 2026
- Conference: Association for the Study of Law, Culture, and the Humanities Annual Conference, Chicago, June 17–18, 2026
Opportunities:
- Call for Submissions: Journal of Trends in Intellectual Property Research, Volume 3, Issue 2, December 29, 2025
- Call for Submissions: Journal of Legal Research & Analysis, Volume 3, Issue 2, December 29, 2025
- Call for Applications: Lilly Scholar in Residence Short-term Fellowship for Technology & African and Middle Eastern Religious Cultures, Library of Congress, January 9, 2026
- Call for Applications: Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship, Northwestern University, January 26, 2026
- Call for Submissions: Fusayfsa’, the Smith College student-led Middle East Studies Journal, January 30, 2026
- Call for Papers: Association for the Study of Law, Culture, and the Humanities Annual Conference, Chicago, January 31, 2026
- Call for Papers: 40th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference (MEHAT), University of Chicago, January 31, 2026
- Call for Papers: Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (MEIS) Graduate Student Virtual Symposium, University of Alberta, February 2, 2026
- Position Opening: Visiting Assistant Professor of Medieval Middle East, Colby College, July 1, 2026