Fiqh of Criminal Law

About this course

This course seeks to familiarize students with the basics of the Islamic penal code, criminal justice laws, jihad, and judicial process. The different types of crimes and their punishments will be introduced, as well as the evidence required to convict the perpetrators of such crimes. The main text focuses on the opinions and evidence of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to all the various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.

Course details

This course will:

• Describe the different crimes in Islamic criminal law.
• Categorize the different punishments in Islamic criminal law.
• Create an understanding of the differences in evidence needed to convict different types of crimes.
• Enable students to gain an appreciation for the Islamic penal code and dispel common misconceptions.
• Analyze the concept of jihad and Islam’s just-war theory.
• Conclude why advancements in forensic sciences can benefit Islam’s judicial process as an admissible proof.

About the Instructor(s)