Brunei's Friday sermon last week touched on corruption, and the imāms, in addition to describing why corruption is prohibited under Islamic law, urged citizens to report any suspicious activity to the nation's Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Islamic Law in the News Roundup
Rochester Institute of Technology professors developed a new board game titled “New Harvest,” which aims at promoting the teaching of comparative religion and religious law. The game is part of a larger series on different religious traditions titled “Lost & Found.” The many and varied forms of sexual harassment was among the subjects discussed at … Continue reading Islamic Law in the News Roundup
New debates about the use and abuse of Islamic criminal law in Afghanistan
The NYT reports on a radical figure in Afghanistan who uses what mainstream scholars of Islamic law around him call novel and excessively harsh interpretations of Islamic criminal law or “sharī'a” to dole out punishments and gain support from locals who incorrectly think these harsh interpretations have religious or historical precedent. This same figure also … Continue reading New debates about the use and abuse of Islamic criminal law in Afghanistan
Weekend Scholarship Roundup
In "Apostasy and Freedom of Religion in Malaysia," Islamic Law & Law of the Muslim World eJournal, Joshua Neoh argues that the constitutional space for the freedom of religion in Malaysia is best carved out by drawing on constitutional law, international law and the common law. Heidi Gilchrist explores laws that criminalize dress in Europe … Continue reading Weekend Scholarship Roundup
COVID-19 and Islamic Law Roundup
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Ministry of Justice in the United Arab Emirates launches an online platform for Muslim marriages. Morocco’s Supreme Scientific Council issues fatwa allowing the burial of COVID-19 victims without bathing their bodies, as a health precaution for morgue workers. Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, ban popular Ramadan bazaars and public festivities. Pakistan's southern Sindh province bans … Continue reading COVID-19 and Islamic Law Roundup
In the News: Brunei
Last week, Brunei enacted its long-standing draft criminal law bill that it first proposed in 2014 in an attempt to bring state control over crime, in a way that responds to both conventional and Islamic traditional norms. Celebrities and media commentators have widely criticized the bill, as reported in major media outlets, for making gay … Continue reading In the News: Brunei
Country Profile: Brunei
This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of Brunei Darussalam (Negara Brunei Darussalam), based on research produced by the Library of Congress. Under Brunei's Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) is the principle source of legislation. Country Background Brunei is located in Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of … Continue reading Country Profile: Brunei