Network of British Researchers and Practitioners of Islamic Law

伊斯兰教法一词既包括穆斯林国家和社区实行的法律，也包括穆斯林认为应该实行的理想的规则和规章制度。这一拟议的网络旨在汇集英国的学者和法律的从业人员，他们研究伊斯兰法的这些不同概念-无论是在其历史表现形式中，还是在当代。伊斯兰法的学术学者和从业人员很少有机会分享研究成果、交流思想和探索可能的合作研究。该网络旨在将这些学者和从业人员聚集在一起，举行四次网络会议。每次会议将包括研究论文、对法律的实践的思考和讨论未来活动的机会。每次会议的学术主题将集中在伊斯兰法的一个特定的“学校”的经验。在前现代时期，穆斯林世界的大多数法律的活动（无论是教学、写作还是审判）都涉及到遵守一种特定的法律的解释传统（用阿拉伯语中的madhhab一词来概括）。不同的宗教派别在基本的法律的问题上意见不一。这些差异是由于对来源的解释不同，以及马德哈布创始人的个人观点（他们的意见总是被视为马德哈布独特性格的核心）。伊斯兰教法有四个逊尼派学校（Hanaldi，Maliki，Hanbali和Shafii，都以其创始人的名字命名），但也有什叶派学校（两个最有活力的是Zaydi和Zayver）和Ibadi学校。过去也有一些学校定期地重新流行起来。在现代时期，由于立法者和法官试图在西欧模式的影响下使穆斯林国家的法律现代化，穆斯林似乎失去了一些知识力量。然而，伊斯兰教的衰落并不是统一的。在世界上的一些地方，无论是在穆斯林占多数还是少数民族的背景下，伊斯兰教都保持了其重要性，或者演变为应对快速现代化社会的挑战。在穆斯林世界的不同地区占主导地位的各种madhab是方便的主题，可以将来自不同学科的法律的学者以及从业人员（如律师、权利活动家、立法者）聚集在一起，分享他们的研究和经验。在为期两天的四次网络会议中，每一次会议都将考察两所学校，学者们将考察伊斯兰教的形成、历史和当代经验。一旦聚集在一起，网络的参与者将探索潜在的合作研究，以及为英国伊斯兰教法研究人员建立一个学科协会的可能性。国际伊斯兰法律的研究学会已经存在，但它在联合王国的成员很少，资源也非常有限。还有穆斯林律师协会（联合王国），主要为穆斯林社区服务。这两个组织都将参加网络会议，并为未来英国学术团体的设计做出贡献（暂定名为英国伊斯兰法研究协会，简称BASIL），该协会可以就伊斯兰法的历史和未来发展提供独特的英国和跨教派观点。网络会议将于2007年至2009年期间在埃克塞特大学举行。吸引来自英国高等教育部门和法律的专业的参与者。此外，国际专家，包括来自穆斯林世界的学者和从业人员将为讨论作出贡献。最重要的是吸收新兴研究人员和从业人员，因此将招募博士和博士后研究人员介绍他们的研究并参加讨论。

The term Islamic Law covers both the law as it is (and has been) practised in Muslim countries and communities, as well as the ideal system of rules and regulations which Muslims have thought should be practised. This proposed network aims to bring together UK-based scholars and legal practitioners working with these different conceptions of Islamic Law - both in their historical manifestations, but also in the contemporary period. Academic scholars and practitioners of Islamic Law rarely have the opportunity to share research, exchange ideas and explore possible collaborative research. This network aims to bring these scholars and practitioners together for four network sessions. Each session will consist of research papers, reflections on legal practice and opportunities for discussion concerning future activity. The academic theme of each session will concentrate on the experience of a particular 'school' of Islamic Law. In the premodern period, most legal activity (be it teaching, writing or judging) in the Muslim world involved adherence to a particular tradition of legal interpretation (summed up in the Arabic term madhhab). The different madhhabs had divergent opinions on fundamental legal questions. These differences were due to differences in interpretation of the sources, as well as the personal views of the madhhabs' founders (whose opinions were always viewed as central to a madhhab's distinct character). There are four Sunni schools of Islamic law (Hanafi, Maliki, Hanbali and Shafii, all named after their founders), but there are also Shiite schools (the two most vibrant being the Zaydi and Twelver) and the Ibadi school. There have also existed schools in the past which periodically have enjoyed resurgances in popularity. In the modern period, the madhhabs appear to have lost some of their intellectual power, as legislators and judges attempted to modernise the law in Muslim countries under the influence of Western European models. However, the decline of the madhhab has not been uniform. In some parts of the world, both in Muslim majority and minority contexts, the madhhab has retained its importance, or morphed to take on the challenges of a rapidly modernising society. The various madhhabs, dominent as they are in different parts of the Muslim world, are convenient themes with which to bring together legal scholars from different academic disciplines, as well as practitioners (such as lawyers, rights activists, legislators) to share their research and experiences. Each of the four network sessions will examine two schools over a two day period, with scholars examining the madhhab's formation, history and contemporary experience.Once assembled, the participants in the network will explore potential collaborative research, and the possibility of developing a subject association for UK-based researchers on Islamic law. There already exists the International Society for Islamic Legal Studies, but it has few members in the UK and very limited resources. There is also the Association of Muslim Lawyers (UK), which primarily serves the Muslim community. Both organisations will participate in the network sessions, and contribute to the design of any future British learned society (tentatively named the British Association for the Study of Islamic law, or BASIL), which could offer a distinctly British and cross-confessional perspective on the history and future development of Islamic law.The network sessions will take place at the University of Exeter between 2007 and 2009, bringing in participants from across the UK HE sector as well the legal profession. In addition, international experts, including academics and practitioners from the Muslim world will contribute to the discussions. Of the greatest importance is the inclusion of emerging researchers and practitioners, and hence doctoral and postdoctoral researchers will be recruited to both present their research and participate in the discussions.