Methodologies of Teaching Islamic Law in the Modern World: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

The present research work intends to explain the approaches or methodologies of teaching the contents of Shar??ah or Islamic law in a globalised modern world. Shar??ah is primarily based on divine guidance derived from The Holy Quran and Sunnah. Islamic law consists of revealed texts; therefore, its understanding needs special proficiency in Arabic language, fiqh literature and methodologies employed by Muslim Jurists while deriving Shar??ah rulings from the transmitted text (Na?). It is imperative, now-a-days, to focus not only on methodologies of learning Islamic law but also on methodologies of teaching Islamic law in diverse jurisdictions in order to develop a better understanding of literature on Islamic law. At present, there is a dire need to develop methodologies of teaching Islamic Law in modern world keeping in view the inherent complexities and intricacies of Islamic Law. This paper seeks to spotlight the issues in conceptual and methodological concerns while teaching Islamic law. This study also throws light on how teaching Islamic law is different from modern law subjects where ‘law’ appears in the form of articles or sections of statutory laws. This paper finds that learners of Islamic law should be critically engaged with the primary and secondary sources of Islamic legal theory along with the canons of interpretation of texts which have been developed by Earlier Muslim Jurists at par with modern techniques of imparting education at undergraduate and post-graduate levels respectively.