Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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“Syria‘s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa . . . reinstated the post of Grand Mufti and established a new Supreme Fatwa Council, according to a decree released by the Syrian presidency. Under Presidential Decree No. 8 of 2025, prominent cleric Sheikh Osama al-Rifa’i was appointed as Grand Mufti of Syria and named head of the newly-created council,… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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“UNICEF call[ed] on the Taliban to lift ban on girls’ education as new school year begins in Afghanistan.” 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.”  In Afghanistan, “[a] woman and a man were publicly flogged in Ghazni province after… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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“Iranians [have] voic[ed] renewed criticism over the strict enforcement of Ramadan regulations—which ban public eating and drinking—reinforced by authorities’ threats of harsh punishment.” “Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Tehran will not seek permission from any country for its nuclear activities, while rejecting allegations that it is pursuing nuclear weapons. . . .… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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“A seven-member committee appointed by Syria’s interim government is drafting a constitutional declaration, but leaked provisions, including a requirement that the president be Muslim, have fueled controversy over inclusion and democracy.” “In the growing global mode landscape, modest fashion is now not only a trend, but rather an expression of style, identity, and a deeper… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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“Professor Dr. Ahmed Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, received Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders, at Al Azhar headquarters. The Grand Imam commended Judge Abdelsalam’s dedication to Al Azhar and his contributions to promoting human fraternity at regional and global levels.” “The Islamic police in the northern Nigerian… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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“A court in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province found two men guilty of sexual relations today and sentenced them to be publicly flogged, an official said.” For more content and context on harsh interpretations and applications of Islamic criminal law, consult our Editor-in-Chief, Professor Intisar Rabb’s “Resource Roundup: Islamic Criminal Law.” For more news blurbs relating… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Malaysia‘s Islamic affairs minister, recently clarified that “[p]ublic caning for Shariah offences is carried out outside the confines of prison in a closed-door setting.” “The League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland [West Africa] has declared that Ramadan 1446 AH (2025) will begin on Saturday, March 1, 2025, breaking away from… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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The Aga Khan IV, the leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims, passed away earlier this month. The Program in Islamic Law at Harvard Law School offers its condolences to his family and the Ismaili community. “Islamist radicals, long considered a fringe group in Bangladesh, managed to stop two women’s football friendly matches in the north… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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The BBC recently reported that a leading U.S. doctor has called for cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages. Similarly, in 2026, Ireland will become the first country to implement a nationwide alcohol health labeling policy. This development led one expert to suggest that Western nations are gradually aligning with an Islamic perspective on alcohol, as… CONTINUE READING

Islamic Law in the News Roundup

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Responding to international criticism, “Abdul Hakim Sharaee, the acting minister of justice [in Afghanistan], has stated that the Islamic Emirate’s mission is not to convince the world but to enforce Islamic law.” Earlier, “[a] senior Taliban leader ha[d] publicly criticized his government’s policy of prohibiting female education in Afghanistan, calling it a ‘personal choice’ rather… CONTINUE READING