ISLAMIC LAW IN THE NEWS
- In the US, “Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed drew a wave of criticism from conservative commentators Monday night after comparing Islamic Sharia law to Catholic canon law during a contentious interview with Fox News’ Jesse Watters.”
- In the United Kingdom, “The Ayaan Institute, an independent think tank, has launched a “Stop Hate Against Halal” campaign in response to a far-right propaganda push to demonise halal meat and fuel anti-Muslim hatred — aiming to dismantle the conspiracy theories behind calls to ban it, including those made by Restore Britain MP Rupert Lowe.”
- “Indonesia is seeking to strengthen its halal value chains to increase the halal industry’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), Head of the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) Ahmad Haikal Hasan said Friday.”
- In Imphal, India, “protests have intensified across Manipur over the inclusion of two non-Muslim members in the newly constituted 8th Manipur Waqf Board Committee, with rallies held in Sora, Lilong and Kshetrigao over the past three days.”
- “Islamic finance is emerging as a potential new channel for connecting Central Asia with global capital, as Uzbekistan works to build regulatory and market infrastructure for Sharia-compliant investment.”
CASES, FATWĀS, LEGISLATION ON ISLAMIC LAW
- “The United Front of Afghanistan says at least 180 religious scholars from across the country have issued a fatwa calling on the group to carry out military operations against the Taliban”
- “A court in Syria has sentenced the country’s former top Muslim cleric [Ahmed Hassoun] to life in prison after convicting him of crimes including inciting civil war and complicity in intentional killing.”
- “Iranian authorities flogged two women detained during January’s protests 31 times each before transferring them to prison to serve custodial sentences, according to rights groups.”
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Events:
- Workshop: Archival Abundances and Silences in Islamic Studies, Princeton University, October 2–3, 2026
- Conference: Ruling Bodies: Islamic Law, Embodiment, and the Anthropology of Normativity, The Institute for Islamic Theology, Paderborn University, November 6–7, 2026
- Conference: Middle East Studies Association Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, November 21–24, 2026
- Conference: The Institutional Embedding of Shiʿi Imams: Kinship, Caliphs, Courts and Companions (700-900), University of Leiden, January 13–15, 2027
- Conference: Rupture or Continuity in Sharīʿa: (De)Colonizing Sharīʿa? International Conference, Centre for Islamic Studies (ISAM), Istanbul, Turkey, June 9–11, 2027
Opportunities:
- Award: Student Travel Award, Association for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies, September 1, 2026
- Call for Papers: Legal Research & Analysis, September 29, 2026
- Call for Papers: Trends in Intellectual Property Research, September 30, 2026