By Robert Shepard* Introduction The prohibition of ribā (ربا(, or usury, is one of the most critical principles shaping financial transactions in Muslim-majority countries. Rooted in Qurʾānic injunctions and classical … Continue reading Navigating the Prohibition of Ribā in the Modern Islamic World
By John Burden* During the ninth and tenth centuries, four eponymous schools of Islamic jurisprudence (madhāhib, s. madhhab) emerged as leaders in the Sunnī world: the Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī and … Continue reading What Made the Founders of the Four Major Islamic Madhāhib so Influential?
By Emma Westhoff* My research question addressed whether coffee has ever been considered an intoxicant (khamr) in Islamic jurisprudence and thus prohibited for consumption by Muslims. I began by addressing … Continue reading Coffee as an Intoxicant in Islamic Law
For the month of January, we will be publishing a series of essays written by students from the Fall 2024 “Islamic Law Lab” course at Harvard Law School, convened by … Continue reading Islamic Law and ChatGPT: Student Essays from the Islamic Law Lab
