Islamic Law 101

Course aim

To develop students’ understanding of Sharia (Islamic Sacred Law), and the meaning and scope of Sharia, (dealing with law, ethics, morals, and spirituality). To allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of Sharia and the difference between divine and human derived laws, and the extent to which Sharia can adapt with time and place. To assist students in their understanding of Islam’s sacred law and its application in Muslim majority nations, and non-Muslim nations. To develop students’ understanding of the similarities and differences between Sharia and the Common law.

Course content

Students will gain an understanding of the meaning, nature and scope of Sharia (Sacred law). Students will gain an understanding of the primary and secondary sources of Sharia, the higher objectives of Islamic law, and the difference between Sharia (law) and Fiqh (jurisprudence). Students will gain an understanding of the application of Islamic law in Muslim and non-Muslim countries (such as Australia); and the views of experts of Islamic law on issues such as jihad, terrorism, domestic violence, cloning, stem cell research, and democracy.

Textbook(s)

Kamali, MH 2008, Shari'ah law: an introduction, One World Publications, Oxford

Prerequisite(s)

Nil

Corequisite(s)

Nil

Teaching method

Note: These components may or may not be scheduled in every study period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Assessment

Continuous assessment, Essay

Fees

EFTSL*: 0.125
Commonwealth Supported program (Band 4A)
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Fee-paying program for domestic and international students
International students and students undertaking this course as part of a postgraduate fee paying program must refer to the relevant program home page to determine the cost for undertaking this course.

Non-award enrolment
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* Equivalent Full Time Study Load. Please note: all EFTSL values are published and calculated at ten decimal places. Values are displayed to three decimal places for ease of interpretation.