The program focuses on routine applications of Islamic law that are central to the lives of observant Muslims but largely unaddressed in scholarly literature: practices of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Observant Muslims regularly consult imams (religious leaders), legal scholars, and other non-state actors for Islamic legal answers and guidance in a variety of personal matters and business affairs – when getting married or divorces, writing wills, making investments, structuring commercial transactions, and more. In many instances these answer are sought and dispensed informally: in a mosque or living room, on the telephone, via email, even on line. In others the exchange is more formal, as in mediation sessions or arbitration tribunals. Whatever their form, these practices constitute the most direct and immediate interactions many Muslims have with Islamic law. In this program, leading practitioners and scholars from the U.S. and Canada will explain and illustrate how these practices translate legal theory into practical answers for Muslims who seek to resolve disputes and conduct their affairs pursuant to Islamic legal rules and norms. Analogous practices in Jewish communities will also be addressed, as will ADR practices generally, providing a comparative perspective and broader context within which to assess the Islamic ADR practices.
Business Meeting at Program Conclusion.