Islamic Authority: A Matter of Guardianship

Islamic bioethics: between sacred law, lived experiences, and state authority.

There is burgeoning interest in the field of "Islamic" bioethics within public and professional circles, and both healthcare practitioners and academic scholars deploy their respective expertise in attempts to cohere a discipline of inquiry that addresses the needs of contemporary bioethics stakeholders while using resources from within the Islamic ethico-legal tradition. This manuscript serves...

A Matter of Authority: James I and the Tobacco War

Wilāyah (authority and governance) and its implications for Islamic bioethics: a Sunni Māturīdi perspective.

Juridical councils that render rulings on bioethical issues for Muslims living in non-Muslim lands may have limited familiarity with the foundational concept of wilāyah (authority and governance) and its implications for their authority and functioning. This paper delineates a Sunni Māturīdi perspective on the concept of wilāyah, describes how levels of wilāyah correlate to levels of responsibi...

In the Matter of Islamic Banking and Local Currencies

Islamic Law States and the Authority of the International Court of Justice: TerritorialSovereignty and Diplomatic Immunity

The principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN)—the International Court of Justice (ICJ)—adjudicates interstate disputes and issues advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. The Court has contributed to the peaceful resolution of disputes by delivering justice in a variety of issue areas including territorial sovereignty, marit...