By Nathalie Gunasekera This post is part of the Digital Islamic Law Lab (DILL) series, in which a Harvard student analyzes a primary source of Islamic law, previously workshopped in the DIL Lab. Abstract: Khursheed Ahmad Khan v. State of U.P. is a recent Indian Supreme Court case. Khursheed Ahmad Khan (appellant), a Muslim civil servant, married … Continue reading The Supreme Court of India Weighs in on Muslim Personal Law
Islamic Law in the News Roundup
A roundup of Islamic law in the news.
In Response to the Indian Supreme Court’s Recent Decision on Triple Ṭalāq: A Legislative Proposal
The Indian Supreme Court's decision on triple ṭalāq declared it unconstitutional, and gave the legislature six months to decide on appropriate reform. Pakistan editor Zubair Abbasi responds to the decision and outlines considerations the legislature should address. "According to media reports, triple ṭalāq (instant, irrevocable divorce initiated by a husband in some versions of Islamic law) epitomizes … Continue reading In Response to the Indian Supreme Court’s Recent Decision on Triple Ṭalāq: A Legislative Proposal
Shayara Bano v. Union of India, etc. (Supreme Court of India): Judgment on Constitutionalism of Triple Ṭalāq
In a 3-2 decision, the Supreme Court of India declared triple ṭalāq unconstitutional and gave India’s parliament six months “to consider legislation” for handling triple ṭalāq. In its opinion, the Court cited global advances in Islamic family law (in India, called Muslim personal law) in “even theocratic Islamic states” as evidence of the need for reform. The Court … Continue reading Shayara Bano v. Union of India, etc. (Supreme Court of India): Judgment on Constitutionalism of Triple Ṭalāq
Women’s Right to Divorce under Islamic Law in Pakistan and India
Indian Muslim women's rights are once again manifesting as debates about talaq (divorce). Shayara Bano, who holds an advanced degree in sociology, petitioned the Indian Supreme Court last year to rule on the constitutionalism of triple-ṭalāq, in which a Muslim husband may divorce his wife by simply saying "ṭalāq" three times with our without her consent. After she suffered … Continue reading Women’s Right to Divorce under Islamic Law in Pakistan and India
Commentary :: The Danial Latifi Case and the Indian Supreme Court’s Balancing Act
Islamic law is before the Supreme Court of India again, with the question of whether triple-ṭalāq is a valid way of dissolving a marriage: by a man simply pronouncing that his wife is divorced by saying that word three times. To understand where the Court might be going requires a bit of background. Following the … Continue reading Commentary :: The Danial Latifi Case and the Indian Supreme Court’s Balancing Act