Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Islamic legal system'

This study is primarily concerned with the theory of Islamic banking and its practice in Bangladesh, and shari’ah and its four sources forming the basis of Islamic banking are discussed at length. The research seeks to: analyse the theoretical foundations of Islamic baking and practice in Bangladesh; examine areas of similarity and differences between the structure and practices of Islamic banking and conventional banks; and identify the problems, challenges and prospects of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. The dissertation examines primary and secondary sources and draws on fieldwork in Bangladesh and the author’s personal experiences. The study undertaken shows that over the years there has been an expansion of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. Islamic banks are competing successfully with their conventional counterparts in an environment where rules, regulations and regulatory bodies are designed to facilitate banking based on interest. At the same time it has become apparent that the profit and loss sharing framework, which is one of the cardinal principles of Islamic banking, has yet to take deep root. The current profitability of Islamic banks is often maintained by products and services, which on closer analysis resemble broadly the products of conventional banking. It is thus suggested that more in depth research should be undertaken by Islamic bankers and scholars to study products and services of conventional banking with a view to adapting them successfully to the tenets of shari’ah.
Master of Laws (Hons)

This thesis examines the participation of Armenians in the shari'a courts of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Scholars have traditionally thought that Armenians in the Ottoman Empire resolved their disputes within their own communities' legal systems. However, new studies of Ottoman court records reveal that Armenians in the Ottoman Empire frequently used the shari'a courts to resolve a wide variety of disputes. There are several possible reasons to account for this frequent shari'a court use by a community that theoretically had its own courts. The first is that the Armenian millet's legal structures were perhaps exaggerated or misunderstood by previous scholars. The second is that Islamic law was not as unfavourable to dhimmis as presumed and that the shari'a courts were adequate for their needs. Finally, the way the courts applied Islamic law was sometimes advantageous to certain dhimmis.

This study was conducted in Iran (Tehran) to assess perceptions of women with regard to access to justice. Its aims are firstly to provide original evidence about user perceptions of access to justice, and to contribute to related national/international debates and body of literature. The research reviews some of the literature in the field of access to justice to highlight similarities and gaps between contextual framework of Islamic and Western correlated legal concepts including definitional analysis in support of and/ or against access to justice model worldwide. Consideration was also given to a comparative framework for conceptualizing access to justice from Islamic Law perspectives. The research evaluates the historical development of access to justice in the Islamic Republic of Iran as a case study together with an analysis of barriers. The research also presents the findings of a survey study on women' perceptions (first study of its kind) in Iran conducted as a significant constituent of the thesis. The thesis concludes that existing Western models have excessively highlighted the need to strengthen state's institutions to provide 'access' to mechanisms of 'justice'. Access to justice as a complex phenomenon, however, incorporates various conceptions of 'justice' as an index for 'access' on one side and individuals as 'users of justice' on the other side. A distinctive conclusion is that 'legal empowerment' can provide wider 'access to justice' in Iran particularly for disadvantaged groups such as women.

With the institution of the Moroccan Protectorate by the French in 1912, the military command had as its primary intention that of restoring law and order. Under the strong personality of the "resident general", Lyautey, a new era of "soft" political colonization was introduced in Morocco; brutish military conquests were followed by a certain cooptation process of the Moroccan elite. This association policy allowed the perception of real cooperation between the French and the Moroccans but was actually aimed at the tight regulation of the population. The efficiency of this regulation was achieved through its technocratic approach; it showed respect for the Moroccan Islamic traditions and its institutions.
This study analyses the French colonial policy in Morocco between 1912 and 1925 through the means of reforms introduced into the judicial Islamic system. The author compares the system's organization, its jurisdictions and its procedures before 1912, and their reforms throughout the 1912 to 1925 period, when Lyautey was in command.

This study aimed to assist in developing a more effective framework for regulating auditor independence practice in Iran, a non-IFRS country with an Islamic legal system. It investigated the following general research question: In order to increase auditor independence in a non-IFRS country with an Islamic legal system, what are the potential indicators of threats to auditor independence, and how should a regulator prioritise addressing these threats?

This study analyses the treatment of Islamic law (Fiqh) under the English legal system by looking into the developments in waqf law in British India. It has the dual objective of analysing the impact of the English legal system upon Islamic law, and determining the role of various actors in this process. It argues that waqf law was transformed in order to fit into the state structure. The colonial state used the techniques of translation, adjudication, legislation and teaching in order to transform Islamic law. Adjudication was preferred over legislative codification as a mode of governance and rule making because of its flexibility. The translation of classical Islamic legal texts, the Hidāya and certain parts of the Fatāwā al-‘Ālamgīriyya, relieved English judges of the need for a reliance on local legal advisors. However, Muslim lawyers, judges, legal commentators, and some religious scholars (‘ulamā’) simultaneously collaborated and negotiated with, and resisted colonial administrators in the process of legal transformation. As adjudication was a preferred mode of transformation, legal commentaries played a crucial role in legal developments. A majority of legal commentators were Muslims, such as Ameer Ali, Abdur Rahim and Faiz Tyabji. They used their legal treatises to resist any colonial intervention in Islamic law. Although English educated Muslims replaced ‘ulamā’ as cultural intermediaries between the state and society, this did not eliminate the role of ‘ulamā’ as the custodians of Islamic law. They established closer links with society and issued fatāwā (legal opinions) on legal issues. Fatāwā were sought regarding every important aspect of waqf law, from the validity of family awqāf to the management of awqāf and the permissibility of awqāf of movables such as shares of companies. ‘Ulamā’ also lobbied for the enforcement of Islamic law in order to promote women’s rights of inheritance and to get a divorce. This study finds that Anglo-Muhammadan law was a product of interaction between various sections of Muslim society and colonial administrators. It reflected the socio-political context of colonial India and the process of negotiations between divergent interest holders. Despite replacing the traditional institutional structure, the overall legal system became more inclusive. It could interact with various stakeholders and represent them in the process of law making in order to respond to social change.

This thesis examines the need for reform in the current Saudi law that governs electronic contracts. Traditional contracts are vastly different to electronic contracts, and uncertainties arise when the traditional principles of contract law are applied to the formation of online contracts. In Saudi Arabia, there is still great uncertainty in determining the applicable rule for the online environment and how it can be practically implemented. Overall, this thesis found that the legal system lacks sufficient clarity and predictability to support electronic contract formation. It recommends two important avenues for reform: applying a limited form of codification of Islamic law and more fully implementing provisions from international law into substantive contract law.

In Iraq, like other countries, the Islamic banking industry plays an important role in developing the country’s economic system. The Islamic banking industry of Iraq is regulated by the Islamic Banking Law, 2015. However, Iraq’s Islamic Banking Law of 2015 consists of an incomplete set of rules and regulations. The law does not contain certain fundamental elements such as the licensing requirements. In addition the law does not determine the highest Sharia body in case of Islamic banking problems. Thus, the Islamic banking industry in Iraq is also regulated by the Banking Law 2004 and the Central Bank Law 2004 but they do not make specific reference to Islamic banking. Therefore, the Islamic banking industry in Iraq faces challenges which are both legal and Sharia in character. In this context, the lack of a comprehensive Islamic banking legal framework and unclear relationship between the CBI and Islamic banks are the two main legal problems. Accordingly, the Islamic banking industry of Iraq is regulated by conventional laws and this may result ultimately in legal problems for the Islamic banking system. The Sharia challenge faced by the Islamic banking industry in Iraq is the lack of a proper Sharia framework. In effect, the Sharia supervision of the Iraqi Islamic banking system is not as robust as it should be. Thus, a central Sharia board does not exist and the individual Sharia supervisory boards of Islamic banks are not sufficiently strong because there is a shortage of qualified Sharia scholars to act as members of the Sharia supervisory boards of Islamic banks. In addition, the shortage of qualified Islamic banking experts is another important problem for the Islamic banking system of Iraq. The lack of Sharia scholars for the Sharia supervisory boards of Islamic banks and the lack of qualified staff to run the Islamic banking industry are the main human resource challenges faced by the Iraqi Islamic banking system. Thus, this thesis attempts to find solutions for these problems affecting the Iraqi Islamic banking industry. In this regard, the thesis considers the Islamic banking systems of both Malaysia and Bahrain. Both of these countries are developed and successful and each has a proper regulatory framework for its Islamic banking industry. In Malaysia, the Islamic Financial Services Act 3013 (IFSA) is a special law for the regulation of the Islamic financial sector including Islamic banks. Similarly in Bahrain, Volume 2-Islamic Bank is a set of regulations which govern Islamic banks. In addition, both countries have a proper Sharia regulatory and supervisory system because they have a sufficient number of Sharia scholars to supervise their Islamic banking business. Furthermore, many qualified Islamic banking experts can be found in Malaysia and Bahrain as those countries house universities and centres that offer Islamic banking degrees or courses. By drawing inspiration from the Malaysian and Bahraini Islamic banking industries, Iraq can develop and improve its own Islamic banking industry. This can be done by amending the Islamic Banking Law, 2015 and establishing a central Sharia board, similar to Malaysia’s Sharia Advisory Council. In addition, the Banking Law 2004 and the Iraqi Central Bank Law 2004 should be amended so as to cater more to the Islamic banking industry. It is the responsibility of the Central Bank of Iraq to resolve all problems that are faced by Islamic banks in the country. By drawing judiciously on the Bahraini and Malaysian experiences, CBI regulators will be able to reform the Iraqi Islamic banking industry and find solutions for both legal and Sharia challenges.

This thesis answers the question of how effective Kuwait and the Kuwaiti legal system have been in addressing, preventing, and combating human trafficking in the context of both international law and the application of Islamic Sharia Law (ISL). The thesis is concerned with trafficking in persons with a particular focus on trafficking to exploit labour in Kuwait as compared to the five other Arab countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC countries are parties to the main international instrument that governs trafficking, namely the United Nations Trafficking Protocol 2000 (UNTP). The GCC countries also have ISL as one of their main sources of law. With particular reference to Kuwait in the context of the Gulf region, this thesis examines how national, international, and religious legal frameworks impact the fight against trafficking in the region, and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of current laws, such as anti-trafficking laws and labour laws. It also seeks to demonstrate the links between the principles of international law and ISL, as such an overlap can provide the basis for further reform in relation to the prevention of trafficking and increased protection for victims. The thesis also discusses trafficking in persons and labour exploitation in the context of criminal justice. The UK was selected as an example of a country that has addressed trafficking, in particular labour exploitation and how Kuwait can learn from the UK. The thesis also assesses the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in combating trafficking in persons, in particular women and children, which is recognised by Article 7(2) of the statute under the definition of an act of enslavement in the context of crimes against humanity. The thesis concludes by making recommendations for change at the national, regional, and international levels to strengthen cooperation in combating trafficking in persons, which is the modern form of slavery.

La mondialisation favorise les échanges de toutes natures. Le domaine juridique avec ses idées, concepts et catégories trouve donc un terrain fertile pour contribuer au développement socio-économique des peuples. Aujourd’hui, la tradition civiliste et celle islamique caractérisent les droits arabes. Pour ce faire une idée juste de ces droits et nous intéresser à la période précontractuelle, il appert fondamental de déterminer le mécanisme de construction et de validité de la règle juridique en terre d’Islam selon une approche historique, objective et positive. Cette méthodologie d’étude nous a permis de proposer une nouvelle définition du droit musulman qui intègre les différentes autorités normatives permettant ainsi de corriger les nombreuses incompréhensions relevées. Ensuite, il convenait de vérifier nos résultats théoriques à l’aune des réalités actuelles pour préciser la nature juridique des ordres juridiques arabes. Cela nous a amené à réfuter la dualité des ordres juridiques arabes en faveur de l’unité et la cohérence. Enfin, nous pouvions à ce moment aborder la période précontractuelle pour démontrer et affirmer avec force la compatibilité entre la tradition et le modernisme selon une approche comparatiste entre les droits français, marocain et koweïtien, tout en proposant des pistes de réformes pour assurer le respect de la parole donnée grâce à une nouvelle classification juridique dans cette matière trop peu étudiée dans les pays arabes. In fine, notre étude semble pouvoir s’élargir à toute matière juridique créant ainsi un pont entre la réflexion contenue dans la première partie de notre thèse et l’action esquissé durant la seconde partie
Globalization promotes all kinds of exchanges. The legal field with its ideas, concepts and categories finds fertile ground to contribute to the socio-economic development of the peoples. Today, the continental and the Islamic tradition characterize Arab laws. In order to have an accurate idea of those laws and study the pre-contractual period, it is fundamental to determine the mechanism of construction and validity of the legal rule in Islamic land according to a historical, objective and positive approach. Our methodology has allowed us to propose a new definition of Islamic law that integrates the different normative authorities, thus making it possible to correct the numerous misunderstandings noted. Therefore, it was necessary to verify our theoretical results in the light of current realities in order to clarify the legal nature of the Arab legal orders. This has led us to refute the duality of Arab legal orders in favor of unity and coherence. Finally, we were able to approach the pre-contractual period in order to enhance the compatibility between tradition and modernism, using a comparative approach between French, Moroccan and Kuwaiti laws, to propose ways of reforming the pre-contractual period thanks to a new legal classification in this subject, which has been little studied in the Arab countries. In fine, our study seems to be able to be extended to all legal matters, thus creating a bridge between the theoretical thinking contained in the first part of our thesis and the action sketched during the second part

Religion
M.A.
In this Master's thesis, I plan to compare the following aspects of religious life in Morocco and Turkey: - the way religion (Islam) is regulated on the official level, - the way religious secondary education functions (imam-hatip schools in Turkey and madrasahs in Morocco), - the way women's rights are regulated. I also plan to compare the religious legislation that the Moroccan and Turkish governments have passed. In my work, I will use both primary sources such as constitutions, laws and other legal documents in their original French and Turkish languages, and also secondary sources such as books and published reports. I argue that both Morocco and Turkey have lenient and flexible systems of laws that regulate religion, and both of these countries could serve as examples of efficient governmental regulation of the religious realm. Although Turkey has been a secular country since the demise of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, it has neither been an atheist country, nor has it ever adopted atheist policies. Turkish secularism, if it can be explained in a few words, does not only separate religion and state, it also restricts and provides freedom from religion, from certain Islamic symbols and practices in public sphere and state institutions. Turkish secularism does not prohibit practicing religion. It rather curtails the exterior symbols of religion. Morocco is a Muslim country with emerging secularist policies that are being undertaken on the official level. Moroccan King Mohammad VI tries to curb any beginnings of Islamic insurgence or radicalism. The King also tries to control the religious sphere and the meanings of religion. The Turkish government, on the other hand, tries not to associate itself with religion as it might cost it the loss of its secular and moderately religious electorate.
Temple University--Theses

This research is the first comprehensive critical evaluation of the ways in which Islamic mortgages can be developed and executed in a Sharia compliant manner in order to boost the development of housing markets primarily in Saudi Arabia, with regulatory analyses of securitisation in the US and EU, and case analyses of the UK, Sharjah, and Dubai. The regulatory analyses of securitization show how the excesses of modern financial legal techniques to greatly expand opportunistic developments of mortgagebacked markets led to market failures, and that such market failure could be avoided by the use of Islamic finance principles. These case analyses have been selected to provide a spectrum of different socio-economic contexts in which to compare the Saudi Arabian system. The study also engages in the examination of the Western and Islamic legal systems and their impact on mortgaging and securitisation theory and practice. Securitisation, namely the activity involving the packaging, dividing and selling of mortgages in the primary market has in recent years become a well-established business process (with banking, financing and legal implications and aspects) for enhancing home financing and home ownership in the USA, the UK and Western Europe, all of which are subject to common law contractual processes. However, it would be natural to suppose that further development of the Saudi Arabian and other Islamic legal systems would include securitisation techniques in the near future. Indeed, certain Islamic finance structures lend themselves to securitisation processes which are investigated in depth in this work. Banking and financial activities in the Islamic countries are however governed by a mix of conventional practice, common law and Islamic law, with variations occurring in the same between different jurisdictions. This study aims to engage in a detailed comparison of the conventional (Western) banking system and the banking procedures and processes followed in Islamic jurisdictions in order to develop and recommend a standardized securitisation system for mortgages, which draws upon the best of western regulations and practices and is yet compliant with Islamic law, i.e. the Sharia. The Western banking system is based upon intermediation between entities that have money and ones that need to use it, the charging of interest and a rational decisionmaking process between banks and their clients. The Islamic system on the other hand is governed by Islamic law, which prohibits interest, speculation and any type of activity that is perceived to be oppressive. It recommends close partnerships between bankers andclients, rather than short-term transactional utility. The establishment of common ground between these two systems is undoubtedly a challenging task, particularly because of the differences in the interpretation of religious law by different clerics. This study however points out that significant common ground can be established if standardisation of legal practices and bank policies can be achieved in Islamic countries. The development of high levels of standardisation will help in the creation of securitisation processes for housing mortgages that are Sharia compliant and thus satisfy two important objectives, namely religious requirements and the expansion of the housing market.

The United Arab Emirates' legal system has developed though the continued negotiation between the Shari’a and the Civil Courts over the spheres of criminal law and commercial law. The framework that has emerged, as a result of regime politics and Supreme Court rulings, provides the regime the flexibility to continue their commercial development and integration into the modern global economy, while retaining the domestic authority structures that legitimate their power.

La réception du contrat de crédit-bail par le droit positif irakien n’a pas besoin d’une acculturation qui prendrait la forme de la soumission ou de l’assimilation aux règles juridiques ayant été élaborées dans un environnement juridique différent. Afin d’être accueilli par le droit positif irakien, le contrat de crédit-bail doit passer par la réception des modèles français, américain, islamique dans le système juridique irakien pour y former un droit mixte d’application spéciale. Pour fournir une explication bien satisfaisante pour la réception d’un modèle du contrat de crédit-bail dans l’ordre juridique irakien, il est indispensable de chercher des propositions plus spécifiques s’agissant la sélection des normes juridiques ; l’ajustement entre les normes empruntées et le système juridique dans lequel ils doivent être reçus ; et les relations entre les deux cultures juridiques. Le législateur irakien ne peut se limiter à une simple copie, car il doit veiller à établir des lois qui sont le reflet de la mentalité et de la culture juridique irakienne. Il est donc indispensable d’explorer plus à fond les forces qui motivent la réception du contrat de crédit-bail par le droit positif irakien : la recherche d’un système juridique, culture juridique, et culture fiscale adéquate. Cette analyse ouvre des perspectives nouvelles et soulève toute une série de questions, étudiées à la lumière des droits français, américain et irakien. Les points soulevés par la première partie de notre thèse montrent bien les stratégies, les démarches et les principaux obstacles de la transplantation indirecte des normes juridiques ayant été élaborées dans un environnement non islamique. C’est donc à l’analyse de la réception indirecte des normes juridiques applicables au contrat de crédit-bail que la première partie de la thèse est consacrée. À côté de la réception indirecte des normes juridiques applicables du contrat de crédit-bail, une transplantation directe des normes comptables et fiscales est indispensable pour la réception du contrat de crédit-bail par le droit positif irakien. L’enjeu de la réception d’un point de vue comptable et fiscal sera dès lors multiple : d’une part, un rapprochement entre le droit comptable, fiscal français et le droit fiscal, comptable irakien est souhaitable et recherché. D’autre part, un rapprochement entre le droit comptable, fiscal américain, ayant été inspiré par les normes comptables et fiscales internationales, et le droit fiscal, comptable irakien est faisable. C’est la compatibilité et l’harmonisation qui sont recherchées. C’est donc à l’analyse de la réception directe des normes comptables et fiscales applicables au contrat de crédit-bail que la deuxième partie de la thèse est consacrée
The receipt of the contract of finance lease in Iraqi positive law does not need an acculturation which would take the shape of submission or the assimilation to the legal rules having been elaborate in a different legal environment. To be integrated into Iraqi substantive law, the contract of finance lease must pass through the transplantation of French, American and Islamic models in the Iraqi legal system to form mixed law of special enforcement. To provide a satisfactory explanation for the adoption of a model of the contract of finance lease in the Iraqi legal system, it is essential to go beyond the often articulated approaches to legal changes. Seeking more specific proposals regarding the selection of legal innovation sources; the fit between the rules borrowed and the system in which they must be received, and the relationships between sectors of the two legal systems. The Iraqi legislator can not be limited a simple copy, because it must be sure to establish laws that are a reflection of the mentality and the Iraqi legal culture. It is therefore essential to further explore the forces that motivate the receipt of finance lease and defines its scope: the search for a legal system, legal culture, tax culture that is perceived as authentic or adequate. This analysis opens up new perspectives and raises a series of questions examined in the light of French, American and Iraqi rights. The points raised by the first part of this thesis show of strategies, approaches and the main obstacles of indirect legal transplantation of rules that have been developed in a non-Islamic environment. So the analysis of indirect receipt legal standards applicable to the contract of finance lease that the first part of the thesis is devoted. Next to the indirect receipt legal rules applicable of the contract of finance lease, a direct transplantation of accounting and tax standards is essential to receipt of contract finance lease the Iraqi positive law. The issue of receipt of an accounting and tax perspective will therefore be multiplied: One hand, reconciliation between the French accounting law, French tax law and, Iraqi accounting law, Iraqi tax law is desirable and sought after. In addition, reconciliation between the U. S. accounting law, U.S. tax law, having been inspired by the international accounting, and tax standards and Iraqi accounting law, Iraqi tax law is feasible. It is then compatibility and harmonization are sought. So the analysis of the direct receipt of accounting and tax rules applicable to the contract of finance lease that the second part of the thesis is devoted

Unlike in the Ottoman world, the exercise of judicial power in nineteenth century Qajar Iran was not contingent upon formal appointment by the political authority. In accordance with the dominant Ṣūlī theory, it derived from the perceived intellectual ability of a cleric to infer the ruling of God (Ḥukmullāh) from the sources of Twelver Shī'ī law through deductive effort (ijtihād). Like the Ottoman qāḍī, the Qajar Uṣūlī jurist or mujtahid known as Ḥākim-i shar' in a judicial context had both notarial and adjudicative powers. The Qajar jurist could thus authenticate, register, annul legal documents and act as an arbiter in lawsuits. The Qajar jurist could also, however, issue a legal opinion. This was the role of the muftī – a separate judicial office in other parts of the Islamic world. Qajar jurists exercised their extensive judicial powers through a network of informal sharī'a courts, which they came to operate in most Iranian towns and cities largely independent of direct state control. While the notarial aspects of the Qajar sharī'a court have received some scholarly attention, this study aims to investigate the role of the jurist and his ruling (Ḥukm-i shar') in sharī'a litigation (murāfa'a pl. –āt).

The aim of this work is to analyse the progress made by Turkey in human rights area and identify how important role of Islam there is. The work attempts to refute the idea that Muslim society is not possible to create a functioning legal system that takes sufficient account of the protection of human rights. Reforms of 20 and 30 years of the 21st century were used as theoretical basis. For the analysis of advances in the field of legislation was used Turkish Constitution as the basic document, which is the most important from the point of view of the European Union. A key part of this thesis is an analysis of current problems in the field of human rights and criticism of the international community, especially the European Union that Turkey must face. The work attempts to identify how important role is played by Islam in the issue.

Le développement de la finance islamique a attiré l’attention non seulement des banquiers et des juristes, mais également des pouvoirs publics français depuis quelques années. Cette finance, qui obéit à la loi islamique, fonctionne non pas sur la stipulation de l’intérêt, mais sur deux autres modes de rémunération des bailleurs de fonds : elle applique, d’une part, le principe du partage des profits et des pertes en fondant les transactions sur les contrats de société, et d’autre part, sur une marge bénéficiaire lorsque l’opération s’adosse à un contrat de vente et de location.Parmi les produits bancaires islamiques, les crédits islamiques sont les plus caractéristiques qui écartent la stipulation du ribâ (intérêt). La fixation de leur régime juridique français est tributaire de deux corpus juridiques, a priori, opposés. Bien qu’ils n’aient ni des fondements juridiques, ni des régimes juridiques clairs et précis en droit français, ce dernier arrive à les encadrer. Cet encadrement présente non seulement des points de convergence, mais également des points de divergence avec le droit musulman. La flexibilité de ces systèmes juridiques nous a conduit à définir tant un cadre juridique général pour définir les régimes français de la rémunération du dispensateur de crédit islamique, qu’un cadre juridique spécial pour régir la structuration des opérations adossées à des contrats de vente (comme la mourabaha, le tawarruq, le salam et l’istisna), de location (l’ijara et l’ijara muntahia biltamlik) et de société (comme la moudaraba, la mousharaka et la mousharaka dégressive)
The development of the Islamic finance drew the attention of the French public authorities, bankers and lawyers since a few years. This finance, which rules by the Islamic law, does not apply the interest, but two other methods of payment of the financiers: on the one hand, the principle of the profit and loss sharing, by backing the transactions on partnership contracts, and on the other hand, on profit margin when the operation backs on a sale and lease contracts.Among the Islamic banking products, the Islamic credits are the most characteristic. The French legal framework of those transactions depends, in fact, on two legal systems which are apparently in contradiction. Although they have neither legal sources, nor clear and precise legal regulation in French law, the latter could rule them. This framework presents not only some points of convergence, but also points of difference with the Islamic Law. Nevertheless, the flexibility of both Laws led us to define a general legal framework of the remuneration of the Islamic credit provider, and a special legal framework to rule the structuration of the operations backed to partnership (moudaraba, mousharaka et degressive mousharaka), sale (mourabaha, le tawarruq, le salam et l’istisna), and lease contract (ijara et ijara muntahia biltamlik)

This study is primarily concerned with the theory of Islamic banking and its practice in Bangladesh, and shari’ah and its four sources forming the basis of Islamic banking are discussed at length. The research seeks to: analyse the theoretical foundations of Islamic baking and practice in Bangladesh; examine areas of similarity and differences between the structure and practices of Islamic banking and conventional banks; and identify the problems, challenges and prospects of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. The dissertation examines primary and secondary sources and draws on fieldwork in Bangladesh and the author’s personal experiences. The study undertaken shows that over the years there has been an expansion of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. Islamic banks are competing successfully with their conventional counterparts in an environment where rules, regulations and regulatory bodies are designed to facilitate banking based on interest. At the same time it has become apparent that the profit and loss sharing framework, which is one of the cardinal principles of Islamic banking, has yet to take deep root. The current profitability of Islamic banks is often maintained by products and services, which on closer analysis resemble broadly the products of conventional banking. It is thus suggested that more in depth research should be undertaken by Islamic bankers and scholars to study products and services of conventional banking with a view to adapting them successfully to the tenets of shari’ah.

Family is the foundation society. Women are the backbone of families even in fundamental patriarchal society like Malaysia. However, Malaysia’s system of religious accommodation results in different rights available to individuals based on the states diverse religious affiliation. Contemporary family issues are inadequately addressed in current Malaysian Family Law: one for the Muslims and one for the non-Muslims. Most cases highlighted inconsistencies when conversion to Islam affected the rights of women during breakdown of marriage. In permitting a path to accommodate diversity, and to reach a new engagement between the civil and the Shariah courts, it is necessary to appreciate Malaysia’s history, sentiment, constraints and strengths. This paper proposes that not only Malaysia has adequate strengths to provide a strong platform to address the conflict, but possesses the mechanisms to create a dynamic set of joint governance of Family Laws to enhance religious accommodation.

Family is the basic unit of society, and is grounded upon social, legal, religious and economic constructs. Depending on cultures and societies, and the often differential treatment they apply to men and women, entering into marriage may deteriorate women’s economic situation. The gender-based division of labor within family, which disproportionally burden women, notably through childcare responsibilities, causes a substantial decline in women’s income and interrupts their education and employment. This makes it difficult for women to have a career for themselves after a separation or divorce. Therefore, there is a general belief that legal principles and laws governing the marital relationship and property rights should be structured to protect women’s economic interests. To establish an equitable economic framework between spouses, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) opts for an egalitarian regime which asks for equal rights and responsibilities for both men and women, during and after the marriage. It rules in favor of a partial community of property between spouses according to which all economic advantages and disadvantages arising from a marriage and its dissolution should be borne equally by both parties. However, legal regimes differ in outlining the method of contribution each spouse must commit to the household, financial maintenance, and the division of property after a separation or divorce. Some legal regimes, following the CEDAW, emphasize formal equality and grant similar rights and responsibilities to both parties, while establishing a partial community of property. Another group of legal regimes establish the separation of property as the guiding principle for marital economic relationships, wherein the expenses should be borne by men as the heads of the household, whereas women should be compensated for their unpaid contributions to the household. As a country with a Sharia-based Civil law system and a specific cultural background, Iran has its own special matrimonial regime and does not follow the CEDAW’s approach to women and men’s rights and responsibilities. Iran’s matrimonial regime bases itself on Sharia’s approach to men and women, and is anchored in Iranian culture. This accounts for a legal matrimonial system that is different from laws existing in Western countries. Under this system, the husband and wife have different economic responsibilities. This thesis examines Iran’s matrimonial regime and compares it to the Quebec matrimonial regime. While Quebec family law espouses a contributory approach for both spouses in marital life, all economic institutions under Iranian family law are designed to enforce a compensatory approach toward the spouses’ economic relation. The compensatory approach of Iranian law to the financial aspects of marital life causes some difficulty for the wife, which is exacerbated at the time of the termination of the marriage. Such a comparative study hopes to bring some novel suggestions aiming at correcting certain deficiencies in the current Iranian matrimonial regime. Besides assessing the issues with Iran’s marital regime, this research seeks to propose legal solutions for enhancing the economic rights of women. A holistic approach will therefore be adopted, which will lead us to take into consideration certain cultural and religious specificities which have become mandatory rights in Iran. The reform proposals put forward in this thesis will thus seek to respond to Iran’s current social context. This study will examine women’s economic situations in marriage, separation, divorce and upon the death of their spouse. It will argue that the cultural specificities of Iranian society and Islamic law must be examined and assessed. It will also analyze women’s economic situation in marital relationships in Iran and Quebec. The study of these two different civil law jurisdictions will focus on the principle of equality and examine related arguments and ideologies regarding women’s rights and responsibilities.
La famille est l'unité de base de la société et est fondée sur des constructions sociales, juridiques, religieuses et économiques. En fonction des cultures et des sociétés et du traitement souvent différencié qu’ils appliquent aux hommes et aux femmes, le mariage peut détériorer la situation économique des femmes. La division du travail fondée sur le sexe au sein de la famille, qui pèse de manière disproportionnée sur les femmes, notamment en raison de leurs responsabilités en matière de garde d'enfants, entraîne une baisse substantielle du revenu des femmes et interrompt leur éducation et leur emploi. Cela rend difficile pour les femmes d'avoir une carrière pour elles-mêmes après une séparation ou un divorce. Par conséquent, il est généralement admis que les principes juridiques et les lois régissant la relation conjugale et les droits de propriété devraient être structurés de manière à protéger les intérêts économiques des femmes. Pour établir un cadre économique équitable entre les époux, la Convention sur l'élimination de toutes les formes de discrimination à l'égard des femmes (CEDAW) opte pour un régime égalitaire qui exige l'égalité des droits et des responsabilités pour les hommes et les femmes, pendant et après le mariage. Elle se prononce en faveur d'une communauté partielle de biens entre époux selon laquelle tous les avantages et inconvénients économiques résultant d'un mariage et de sa dissolution devraient être assumés également par les deux parties. Cependant, les régimes juridiques diffèrent en définissant le mode de contribution que chaque conjoint doit engager pour le ménage, l'entretien financier et le partage des biens après une séparation ou un divorce. Certains régimes juridiques, à la suite de la CEDAW, mettent l'accent sur l'égalité formelle et accordent des droits et des responsabilités similaires aux deux parties, tout en établissant une communauté partielle de biens. Un autre groupe de régimes juridiques établit la séparation des biens comme principe directeur des relations économiques conjugales, où les dépenses devraient être supportées par les hommes en tant que chefs de famille, tandis que les femmes devraient être indemnisées pour leurs contributions impayées au ménage. En tant que pays doté d'un système de droit civil fondé sur la charia et ayant une culture particulière, l'Iran a son propre régime matrimonial spécial et ne suit pas l'approche de la CEDAW concernant les droits et les responsabilités des femmes et des hommes. Le régime matrimonial Iranien se fonde sur l'approche de la charia à l'égard des hommes et des femmes et est ancré dans la culture Iranienne. Cela explique un système matrimonial légal différent des lois existant dans les pays occidentaux. Dans ce système, le mari et la femme ont des responsabilités économiques différentes. Cette thèse examine le régime matrimonial de l’Iran et le compare au régime matrimonial du Québec. Alors que le droit de la famille du Québec adopte une approche contributive pour les deux conjoints dans la vie conjugale, toutes les institutions économiques en vertu du droit de la famille Iranien sont conçues pour appliquer une approche compensatoire à l'égard de la relation économique des conjoints. L'approche compensatoire de la loi Iranienne concernant les aspects financiers de la vie conjugale cause certaines difficultés à l'épouse, qui sont exacerbées au moment de la fin du mariage. Une telle étude comparative espère apporter de nouvelles suggestions visant à corriger certaines lacunes du régime matrimonial Iranien actuel. Outre l’évaluation des problèmes liés au régime matrimonial de l’Iran, cette recherche cherche à proposer des solutions juridiques pour améliorer les droits économiques des femmes. Une approche holistique sera donc adoptée, ce qui nous amènera à prendre en considération certaines spécificités culturelles et religieuses devenues des droits obligatoires en Iran. Les propositions de réforme présentées dans cette thèse chercheront donc à répondre au contexte social actuel de l’Iran. Cette étude examinera la situation économique des femmes dans le mariage, la séparation, le divorce et le décès de leur conjoint. Il soutiendra que les spécificités culturelles de la société Iranienne et du droit Islamique doivent être examinées et évaluées. Il analysera également la situation économique des femmes dans les relations conjugales en Iran et au Québec. L’étude de ces deux juridictions de droit civil se concentrera sur le principe de l’égalité et examinera les arguments et les idéologies connexes concernant les droits et les responsabilités des femmes.

La recherche prend place dans le quotidien actuel de la sphère éducationnelle en Iran. Remarquons que l’Iran est État non occidental et islamique, mais ayant néanmoins adhéré au principe, plutôt occidental, de la Convention internationale sur les droits de l’enfant. Cette recherche s’insère dans une continuité de recherche au soutien des droits humains. Elle propose une voie d’empowerment aux groupes iraniens ouverts à la démocratie, mais aussi aux mouvements éducatifs soucieux des droits fondamentaux de la personne. Divisé en quatre chapitres, le questionnement hybride de la thèse conduit à un essai interdisciplinaire critique bénéficiant aux trois disciplines du droit, de la philosophie et de l'étude empirique. Face au système juridique international et iranien d'un point de vue juridique classique, le chapitre philosophique tend à répondre à la question de «que pourrait-on considérer non seulement du droit à l'éducation, mais également du droit à une « éducation appropriée » fondée sur des motifs éthiques et philosophiques dans le sens où cela conviendrait mieux à la culture iranienne et aux habitudes sociales ». Le chapitre empirique recherche donc "Dans l'action en faveur des droits des enfants iraniens, que révèlent les représentations sociales iraniennes au sujet du fossé potentiel entre un concept idéal de «proper education» et la vie quotidienne des enfants? " À partir d’une approche philosophique— plus précisément d’une éthique de la vertu—, la thèse propose le concept d’«éducation appropriée » [proper education] comme approche critique des positions internationales et internes du droit à l’éducation de l’enfant. Y est présenté comme «éducation appropriée » un droit moral et juridique pour les enfants : ce droit relève alors de la catégorie des droits au développement qui servent le droit à un avenir ouvert et ainsi que le droit de s'épanouir pleinement. Le recours à ce concept propose ainsi conception du droit à l’éducation harmonisée au contexte iranien actuel. D'un point de vue empirique, à partir d’une approche inductive typique de la Human Rights Advocacy approach et sur la base de quatre-vingts (80) entretiens auprès d’enfants et d’enseignants, sont observés et analysés les écarts entre le droit officiel et les façons dont ils sont vécus, mobilisés, pensés ou niés dans la sphère de l’éducation iranienne aujourd’hui. Enfin, l’essai juridique critique suggère que la gouvernance iranienne soit ouverte à une évolution vers une autorité contractuelle moderne dans le système éducatif pour être plus compatible avec les besoins psycho-émotionnels des enfants et en même temps pour d'appliquer des conseils politiques de l'éthique de la vertu à se déplacer vers une forme libérale de politiques éducatives qui promeuvent les vertus de l’autonomie et de la tolérance. Ils sont autant d’informations cruciales pour une gouvernance législative iranienne avisée, ancrée à une quête islamique de vertu tout autant qu’au bonheur des enfants.
The research takes place in the current daily life of the educational sphere in Iran. It should be noted that Iran is a non-Western and Islamic state, but nonetheless adhered to the rather Western principles of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. This research is part of a continuity of research in support of human rights. It offers a path of empowerment to Iranian groups open to democracy, but also to educational movements concerned with the fundamental rights of the person. Divided into four chapters, the hybrid questioning of the thesis leads to a critical interdisciplinary essay benefiting the three disciplines of law, philosophy and empirical study. Facing the international and Iranian legal system from a classical legal view, the philosophical chapter tends to respond to the question of “what could be considered not just the right to education, but the right to a “proper” education based in ethical and philosophical grounds in the sense that it would better suit Iranian culture and social habits than an allegedly “universal” [occidental] classical legal conception?". The empirical chapter, then, looks for the “Iranian social representations of the children’s rights that reveal the gap between the ideal expressed concept of “proper education” and day-to-day life of children?” with an advocative approach. From a philosophical view —more precisely from virtue ethics stand point—the thesis proposes the concept of "right to proper education" as a critical approach to the international and internal positions of the right to education for children. "Proper education" is presented as a moral and legal right for children under the category of developmental rights which serves the right to an open future and the right to maximizing self-fulfillment. It is also a conception of the right to education harmonized with the current Iranian Islamic context. From an empirical standpoint, starting from a typical inductive approach of the Human Rights Advocacy approach and based on more than eighty (80) interviews with children and teachers, the gaps between the official laws and the ways in which they are experienced, mobilized, thought of or denied in the sphere of today Iranian education, are observed and analyzed. Finally, the critical legal essay suggests the Iranian governance to be open to a shift toward a modern contractual authority in educational system to be more compatible with the psycho-emotional needs of children and at the same time to apply the virtue ethics political advice to move toward a liberal form of educational policies that promotes the virtues of autonomy and toleration. These are all crucial information for wise Iranian legislative governance rooted in an Islamic pursuit of virtues as well as the happiness of children.

This study examines the religious, social and political dynamics of Perda Sharia and how the implementation of these regulations has affected women rights and women's security. This study also explores the concept of women's security based on women's own experiences. It employed qualitative methodologies, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and analysis of primary source documentation. It examined Perda Sharia in two district governments: Cianjur, West Java and Bulukumba, South Sulawesi.

Le développement de la finance islamique a attiré l’attention non seulement des banquiers et des juristes, mais également des pouvoirs publics français depuis quelques années. Cette finance, qui obéit à la loi islamique, fonctionne non pas sur la stipulation de l’intérêt, mais sur deux autres modes de rémunération des bailleurs de fonds : elle applique, d’une part, le principe du partage des profits et des pertes en fondant les transactions sur les contrats de société, et d’autre part, sur une marge bénéficiaire lorsque l’opération s’adosse à un contrat de vente et de location.Parmi les produits bancaires islamiques, les crédits islamiques sont les plus caractéristiques qui écartent la stipulation du ribâ (intérêt). La fixation de leur régime juridique français est tributaire de deux corpus juridiques, a priori, opposés. Bien qu’ils n’aient ni des fondements juridiques, ni des régimes juridiques clairs et précis en droit français, ce dernier arrive à les encadrer. Cet encadrement présente non seulement des points de convergence, mais également des points de divergence avec le droit musulman. La flexibilité de ces systèmes juridiques nous a conduit à définir tant un cadre juridique général pour définir les régimes français de la rémunération du dispensateur de crédit islamique, qu’un cadre juridique spécial pour régir la structuration des opérations adossées à des contrats de vente (comme la mourabaha, le tawarruq, le salam et l’istisna), de location (l’ijara et l’ijara muntahia biltamlik) et de société (comme la moudaraba, la mousharaka et la mousharaka dégressive)
The development of the Islamic finance drew the attention of the French public authorities, bankers and lawyers since a few years. This finance, which rules by the Islamic law, does not apply the interest, but two other methods of payment of the financiers: on the one hand, the principle of the profit and loss sharing, by backing the transactions on partnership contracts, and on the other hand, on profit margin when the operation backs on a sale and lease contracts.Among the Islamic banking products, the Islamic credits are the most characteristic. The French legal framework of those transactions depends, in fact, on two legal systems which are apparently in contradiction. Although they have neither legal sources, nor clear and precise legal regulation in French law, the latter could rule them. This framework presents not only some points of convergence, but also points of difference with the Islamic Law. Nevertheless, the flexibility of both Laws led us to define a general legal framework of the remuneration of the Islamic credit provider, and a special legal framework to rule the structuration of the operations backed to partnership (moudaraba, mousharaka et degressive mousharaka), sale (mourabaha, le tawarruq, le salam et l’istisna), and lease contract (ijara et ijara muntahia biltamlik)

Text in English and Arabic
In pre-colonial Africa, the Southwestern Sahara which includes Mauritania, Mali and Senegal belonged to what was then referred to as the Sudan and extended from the Atlantic seaboard to the Red Sea. The advent of Islam and the Arabic language to West Africa in the 11th century heralded an intellectual marathon whose literary output still fascinates us today. At a time when Europe was emerging from the dark ages and Africa was for most Europeans a terra incognita, indigenous African scholars were composing treatises as diverse as mathematics, agriculture and the Islamic sciences. A twentieth century Mauritanian, Arabic monograph, Irshād al- Muqallidīn ʿinda ikhtilāf al-Mujtahidīn1, written circa 1910/1332, by a yet unknown Mauritanian jurist of the Mālikī School, Bāba bin al-Shaykh Sīdī al- Shinqīṭī al-Ntishā-ī (d.1920/1342), a member of the muchacclaimed Shinqīṭī fraternity of scholars, is a fine example of African literary accomplishment. This manuscript hereinafter referred to as the Irshād, is written within the legal framework of Islamic jurisprudence (usūl al-fiqh). A science that relies for the most part on the intellectual and interpretive competence of the independent jurist, or mujtahid, in the application of the methodologies employed in the extraction of legal norms from the primary sources of the sharīʿah. The subject matter of the Irshād deals with the question of juristic differences. Juristic differences invariably arise when a mujtahid exercises his academic freedom to clarify or resolve conundrums in the law and to postulate legal norms. Other independent jurists (mujtahidūn) may posit different legal norms because of the exercise of their individual interpretive skills. These differences, when they are deemed juristically irreconcilable, are called ikhtilāfāt (pl. of ikhtilāf). The author of the Irshād explores a corollary of the ikhtilāf narrative and posits the hypothesis that there ought not to be ikhtilāf in the sharīʿah. The proposed research will comprise an annotated translation of the monograph followed by a synopsis and commentary on its dominant themes.
Religious Studies and Arabic
D. Litt. et Phil. (Islamic Studies)