JJUA55304U Islamic Law and Ethics
This course provides an accessible, systematic and
interreligious introduction to the study of Islamic law.
Students will obtain a comprehensive overview of the historical
development, methodological approaches and substantive scope of
this normative system. Attention is given to areas of commonality
and divergence with other pre-modern legal systems, especially
Cannon law and Talmudic law.
Particular importance is given to the differences with modern
bureaucratic legal systems with which most (law) students will be
more familiar.
Reflecting its traditional strengths in private law, this course focuses on Islamic family, commercial and contract law, as well as the relatively underdeveloped but important Islamic public law. These also happen to be those areas most relevant to legal practitioners, as courts in Western legal systems often have to resolve private law matters with reference to Islamic legal principles.
This course examines the nature and development of Islamic law
from three distinct but related angles:
- as dogma centred around the interpretation of authoritative
texts;
- as practice centred around the observation of the way its
norms are actually observed by human beings;
- as contingency centred around the recognition of the diverse
historical, social and cultural forms it can take.
All three angles will be contrasted to the experience of other
major religious and legal traditions.
In line with the course design of the Master’s programme in
”Interreligious Islamic Studies” offered by TEO, this course
teaches its subject matter as comparative law (not as a sui generis
deontology) and from an interreligious perspective.
Knowledge:
- Know the basic contours of the historical development of Islamic
law;
- Know the main protagonists;
- Know major points of agreement and divergence with the other
Abrahamic traditions;
- Know major characteristics of the orthodox Legal Schools;
- Know key substantive norms and reforms of family law;
- Know key substantive norms of commercial law ;
- Know key substantive norms of procedural law ;
Skills:
- Read translations of key doctrinal texts;
- Identify major dogmatic debates, both historical and
contemporary;
- Identify key differences with other religious traditions;
- Identify social pressures for legal change;
- Carry out independent interdisciplinary research;
- Communicate academic findings to an interdisciplinary audience;
- Analyse the role of law in complex socio-political phenomena
in current events ;
- Conduct independent interdisciplinary research.
Competences:
- Critically examine the validity and reliability of dogmatic
claims;
- Disaggregate complex phenomena in the Islamic world;
- Give basic legal advice on Islamic private law;
- Distinguish legal from related argumentation;
- Critically assess claims about cultural and legal
immutability
Further information about the syllabus will appear on Absalon.
It is illegal to share digital textbooks with each other without permission from the copyright holder.
The teaching will be live-streamed.
- Category
- Hours
- Preparation
- 356,5
- Seminar
- 56
- Total
- 412,5
- Students enrolled at Faculty of Law: Self Service at KUnet
- Students enrolled at other UCPH faculties or Danish universities, who holds a pre-approval from their Study Board: Credit student application form
- All other students or professionals: Single subject application form (tuition fee apply)
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignment
- Type of assessment details
- Project exam (including group projects)
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Exam period
Hand-in date: June 4, 2024
- Re-exam
Hand-in date: August 26, 2024
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- JJUA55304U
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree MasterFull Degree Master choice
- Duration
- 1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Schedule
- Please see timetable for teaching time
Study board
- Law
Contracting department
- Law
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Law
Course Coordinators
- Ebrahim Afsah (ebrahim.afsah@jur.ku.dk)