A Geo Legal Approach To The English Sharia Courts

A study on the Islamic ADR institutions in England through the lens of Comparative Law and Geopolitics.

The relationship between Islamic law and international human rights law has been the subject of considerable, and heated, debate in recent years. The usual starting point has been to test one system by the standards of the other, asking is Islamic law 'compatible' with international human rights standards, or vice versa. This approach quickly ends in acrimony and accusations of misunderstanding. By overlaying one set of norms on another we overlook the deeply contextual nature of how legal rules operate in a society, and meaningful comparison and discussion is impossible. In this volume, leading experts in Islamic law and international human rights law attempt to deepen the understanding of human rights and Islam, paving the way for a more meaningful debate. Focusing on central areas of controversy, such as freedom of speech and religion, gender equality, and minority rights, the authors examine the contextual nature of how Islamic law and international human rights law are legitimately formed, interpreted, and applied within a community. They examine how these fundamental interests are recognized and protected within the law, and what restrictions are placed on the freedoms associated with them. By examining how each system recognizes and limits fundamental freedoms, this volume clears the ground for exploring the relationship between Islamic law and international human rights law on a sounder footing. In doing so it offers a challenging and distinctive contribution to the literature on the subject, and will be an invaluable reference for students, academics, and policy-makers engaged in the legal and religious debates surrounding Islam and the West.

"Formerly known as the International Citation Manual"--p. xv.

In recent years, Islamic business has grown in size and importance in the world financial markets, propelled by government and private wealth in Muslim countries. The UK has fashioned itself as a leading supporter of Islamic finance, evinced in its position as an "emerging global 'hub' for Islamic finance" (Islamic Finance in the UK: Regulation and Challenges (Financial Services Authority, 2007) This work examines how laws and regulations in the UK and abroad are applied to Shari'a products and services. It offers cutting-edge guidance from a leading practitioner: it includes explanation of terms and definitions and looks the legal nature of the Shari'a, in addition to a crucial review of how Islamic financial business is regulated and its practical application within the UK.The report also covers the following key areas:* An introduction to the basics of Islamic law unfamiliar to most UK practitioners - e.g. what is Islamic law, what are the key principles, what are the products on offer* Islamic financial institutions - e.g. different types and requirements* Discussion of the legal nature of the Shari'a - the basis, concepts and context of applying Shari'a law* How is Islamic financial business regulated in the UK - e.g. how does it work with the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (this act being fundamental to how the financial services industry is structured and operates), with the Financial Services Authority, how are Islamic mortgages regulated* Best practice guidelines - e.g. key governance principles, Shari'a reviews and audits* International operation - what are the regulatory models, how to incorporate best practice guidelines, oversight of Shari'a supervisory boards* Practical application of Shari'a principles to areas such as guarantees, set-off, assignment of debt* Glossary of terms.

Following its successful chairmanship of ASEAN in 2013, Brunei Darussalam will look to continue its role as a regional leader in areas ranging from defence to commerce. The increased focus on diversification and the growth of several industries bode well for the economy, and the coming years are expected to see Brunei Darussalam further bolster its position within ASEAN and the international economy. Commanding the second-highest GDP per capita among all ASEAN member nations at $39,700 in 2013, Brunei Darussalam remains one of the most advanced economies in the South-east Asia region. Historically, the hydrocarbons industry has dominated the Bruneian economy and allowed the country to amass considerable wealth. However, the nation is making an earnest effort to diversify its economy to ensure future economic stability and sustainability. Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Brunei Economic Development Board, the nation has successfully brought in several major international investments in recent years, including a multi-purpose defence and aviation training centre. The Sultanate is also targeting growth in bio-industry through investments in research and development, as well as expanding the global reach of its halal food industry.

This book provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of courtroom ethnography. This collection gathers international researchers from a multitude of disciplines to explore three central themes: doing courtroom ethnography, ethnographic studies of the courtroom, and contemporary and critical aspects of courtroom ethnography. It highlights the nuances, negotiations, and issues that ethnographic researchers face in the courtroom. It covers topics like how to study legal actors and lay participants, legal and social processes, norms and rulings, digitalisation and vulnerability, gender and inequalities, and more across a range of legal cases. It presents the current state of the art of the field of courthouse ethnography with a discussion of methodological challenges, modes of access and best practice examples. With practical tips/questions at the end of each chapter, it speaks to students and above in subjects including sociology, criminology, law, geography, sociology of law, conflict studies, socio-legal studies and beyond.

To understand how the legal system works, students must consider the law in terms of its structures, processes, language, and modes of thought and argument—in short, they must become literate in the field. Legal Literacy fulfills this aim by providing a foundational understanding of key concepts such as legal personhood, jurisdiction, and precedent, and by introducing students to legal research and writing skills. Examples of cases, statutes, and other legal materials support these concepts. While Legal Literacy is an introductory text, it also challenges students to consider critically the system they are studying. Touching on significant socio-legal issues such as access to justice, legal jargon, and plain language, Zariski critiques common legal traditions and practices, and analyzes what it means “to think like a lawyer.” As such, the text provides a sound basis for those who wish to pursue further studies in law or legal studies as well as those seeking a better understanding of how the legal field relates to the society that it serves.

This is the first world history of empire, reaching from the third millennium BCE to the present. By combining synthetic surveys, thematic comparative essays, and numerous chapters on specific empires, its two volumes provide unparalleled coverage of imperialism throughout history and across continents, from Asia to Europe and from Africa to the Americas. Only a few decades ago empire was believed to be a thing of the past; now it is clear that it has been and remains one of the most enduring forms of political organization and power. We cannot understand the dynamics and resilience of empire without moving decisively beyond the study of individual cases or particular periods, such as the relatively short age of European colonialism. The history of empire, as these volumes amply demonstrate, needs to be drawn on the much broader canvas of global history. Volume I: The Imperial Experience is dedicated to synthesis and comparison. Following a comprehensive theoretical survey and bold world history synthesis, fifteen chapters analyze and explore the multifaceted experience of empire across cultures and through the ages. The broad range of perspectives includes: scale, world systems and geopolitics, military organization, political economy and elite formation, monumental display, law, mapping and registering, religion, literature, the politics of difference, resistance, energy transfers, ecology, memories, and the decline of empires. This broad set of topics is united by the central theme of power, examined under four headings: systems of power, cultures of power, disparities of power, and memory and decline. Taken together, these chapters offer a comprehensive and unique view of the imperial experience in world history. Volume II: The History of Empires tracks the protean history of political domination from the very beginnings of state formation in the Bronze Age up to the present. Case studies deal with the full range of the historical experience of empire, from the realms of the Achaemenids and Asoka to the empires of Mali and Songhay, and from ancient Rome and China to the Mughals, American settler colonialism, and the Soviet Union. Forty-five chapters detailing the history of individual empires are tied together by a set of global synthesizing surveys that structure the world history of empire into eight chronological phases.