Conf
The Current Issues in Muslim Personal Laws between Shariah & States’ Legislations
13-15 May, 2014
14-16 Rajab 1435

Jointly organized by:
International Islamic University Islamabad
&
Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Introduction
The 1st Fiqhi Conference on the current issues in Muslim personal laws between Shariah and state legislations is intended as a three-day international gathering of academicians, practitioners, scholars, medical, and legal experts, to discuss and share the knowledge, expertise and experience on family-related issues in Muslim and non-Muslim societies. This international conference will explore the key issues and the problems of family life and family laws in the light of Shariah, as well as various States Legislations. It is intended that the participants of the conference will discuss and analyze rulings of Shariah regarding the contemporary family institution, its dimensions, jurisdiction and its interaction with the existing legal systems in Muslim as well as non-Muslim societies. We believe this conference will be an excellent platform to study this area that is gaining increased attention among the scholars of law, Shariah, social sciences, and medicine, particularly from the perspective of alternate dispute resolution, as well as legal pluralism. It is hoped that this conference will provide an effective platform for networking, exchange of experiences, as well as ideas and outlooks about the current issues of the family institution.
Background & Importance
It is universally accepted that the Muslim Ummah at present requires decisive re-evaluation, and debate on a number of contemporary issues. It is one of Islam’s commonly recognized strengths that it is universal, comprehensive, flexible, and compliant with all the ages and circumstances. These strengths enable it to provide successful solutions for all situations and circumstances. This was understood by our forbearers, who observed this in their judgments, fatawa and opinions. Now it is our responsibility to review their Ijtihad, opinions and narrations and study all of this with diligence, accuracy and depth in order to update and renew these, and to carry forward from their work. This responsibility is addressed through organizing Fiqhi conferences and seminars for the said purpose; to encourage the scholars, students, judges, intellectuals, and researchers, and to lay down regulations to ensure stability and appropriateness of Ijtihad and the rules, so that the endeavors resonate with contemporary circumstances, place and time.

Family is the basic unit and backbone of society. It is the foundation on which the institution of the society stands. A society with a solid foundation, in the form of a strong family institution undoubtedly results in a positive outlook for the whole society. A family that is based on ethical values, morality and co-operation is considered to be a pillar of the society and only this family institution can result in a strong, solid and co-operative society, which is able to cope with, and complement human progress and the development.

Family plays an important role in the progress, security, stability and development of society because it provides the natural habitat required for positive upbringing of a human being. There is no doubt that responsibility of a state rest upon everyone who is a part of that state, as ultimately they are the beneficiaries of peace and comfort in a society. Thus, the primary responsibility rests on the family institutions. Families ought to realize their role towards the society at large, and must fulfill their duties of positive upbringing of children, and to instill in them an awareness of their duties towards the society and state through proper upbringing, protection, supervision, co-operation and awareness. Allah almighty has endowed the family institution with love, compassion and affection, and has stated in the Holy Quran that: “And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily, in that are signs for those who reflect” (Al-Quran 30/21).

International Islamic University Islamabad (“IIUI”) is a premiere institution of higher learning in Pakistan, and as a organization, it has a keen sense of its responsibilities towards the society. It intends to contribute in addressing societal issues through suggestions regarding the solutions to societal problems, particularly in matters related to family. Additionally, IIUI endeavors to provide Shariah based solutions for different family related problems and issues. For these reasons, IIU has decided to hold the 1stFiqhi Conference on the theme of “The Current Issues in Muslim Family Law, between Shariah & Law” in spring, 2014, in collaboration with Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh.

Muslim scholars, thinkers, jurists, lawyers, judges, doctors, and researchers in different disciplines such as Islamic sciences, pure sciences, social sciences, psychology, law, and Shariah, are invited to participate in the conference to discuss important contemporary issues in Muslim family law. It is expected that this conference will contribute in contemporary Fiqhi and legal studies related to family issues. This event will benefit Pakistani, and other Muslim societies through the assimilation of expert opinions of jurists, doctors, researches, social scientists and other specialists in these fields.