bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Southeast Asia's Forgotten Female Muslim Rulers
Authors: Wain Alexander
Published: July 2021

The Malay world, while united by a common language, a collective commitment to Islam and a shared history, also preserves a variously expressed but mutually held set of customary traditions (adat). Muslim scholars, both past and present, have long debated the Islamic legitimacy of adat. In reality, however, many adat practices complement the ideals of Islam ideals often overlooked by more orthodox Muslim practitioners. This is particularly so regarding the treatment of women. A perception exists that Islam encourages the seclusion of women. While modern feminist readings of the Quran are celebrated for challenging this, it is worth noting that Malay adat has permitted Muslim women to attain public positions of power and influence for centuries.
Combating Fake News, Misinformation, and Machine Learning Generated Fakes: Insight's from the Islamic Ethical Tradition
Authors: Zubair Talat , Raquib Amana , Qadir Junaid
Published: July 2021

The growing trend of sharing and acquiring news through social media platforms and the World Wide Web has impacted individuals as well as societies, spreading misinformation and disinformation. This trend—along with rapid developments in the field of machine learning, particularly with the emergence of techniques such as deep learning that can be used to generate data—has grave political, social, ethical, security, and privacy implications for society. This paper discusses the technologies that have led to the rise of problems such as fake news articles, filter bubbles, social media bots, and deep-fake videos, and their implications, while providing insights from the Islamic ethical tradition that can aid in mitigating them. We view these technologies and artifacts through the Islamic lens, concluding that they violate the commandment of spreading truth and countering falsehood. We present a set of guidelines, with reference to Qur‘anic and Prophetic teachings and the practices of the early Muslim scholars, on countering deception, putting forward ideas on developing these technologies while keeping Islamic ethics in perspective.
Religion, Reason, ‘Regensburg’: Perspectives for Catholic–Muslim Dialogue
Authors: Marcinkowski Christoph
Published: July 2021

This ‘viewpoint’ is (exceptionally) more extensive in terms of size, which is perhaps excusable in the light of the fact that the year 2008 witnessed several very auspicious events in the field of Muslim–Christian dialogue. The beginning of the currently rather positive news in this regard was a rather controversial incident back in 2006.

On 12 September 2006, Pope Benedict XVI delivered a lecture, entitled “Glaube, Vernunft und Universitat: Erinnerungen und Reflexionen” (Faith, Reason, and University: Memories and Reflections) at the University of Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany, where he had been a professor of theology during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Benedict’s controversial remarks on Islam during his speech have stirred anger among parts of the Muslim community worldwide as it was perceived as misrepresenting the very essence of the religion of Islam. Contrary to what is usually known among the wider public, however, the lecture – equipped with often critical references ranging from ancient Jewish and Hellenic thought, theology, as well as contemporary secularist thinking – focused mainly on Christianity and on what Pope Benedict referred to as the tendency “to exclude the question of God” from reason rather than on Islam. Islam features merely in a part of the lecture as his emphasis was on the West.
Maqasid in Risk Management: An Analysis of Ijarah Contract with Special Reference to Malaysia
Authors: Abdullah Ahmad Badri , Al-Mubarak Tawfique
Published: July 2021

Ijarah-based financing is currently generating greater interest among industry players and policy makers due to its minimal risk exposure. Being asset-backed it has a lesser risk overload, no default risk and better profits and now offers a viable alternative to controversial debt-based financing instruments. This paper attempts to highlight the benefits of applying the objectives (maqasid) of ijarah contract and how a diligent compliance to its maqasid can help manage Shari’ah and business risks. It is also hypothesised in this study that a sincere compliance to the Shari’ah’s objectives in financial transaction (maqasid al-mucamalat) would reduce risks in the Islamic banking industry. Current applications of ijarah-based instruments by Islamic banks in Malaysia are analysed to show the gaps between its theoretical presumptions and the actual applications on the ground. Some unresolved Shari’ah issues relating to the implementation of al-ijarah thumma al- bayc (AITAB) (a contract of leasing ending with a sale) as well as issues regarding sukuk al-ijarah (leasing bond) are discussed in order to provide evidence for such dissonances. The study recommends constructive measures to be undertaken by policy makers to resolve the governance and legal problems with regard to the implementation of AITAB and sukuk al-ijarah.
How the Qur'an Rejects Extremism
Authors: Young Stephen B
Published: July 2021

There is no Qur’anic justification for the murders, barbaric beheadings, and the maimings executed by supposedly faithful Muslims like ISIS loyalists, the Tsarnaev brothers in Boston, the Kouachi Brothers in Paris, or by the followers of Osama Bin Laden on September 11, 2001.

The crux of the Qur’anic case against such taking of life in the name of Islam is the wrongful appropriation of God’s (Allah’s) right and power, and committing murder and mayhem in the name of His religion. The Qur’an assigns death by retaliation to all cases of murder (2:178). It also provides “One who kills a human being without the latter being guilty of murder or corruption in the land, it would be as if he has killed the whole of humankind.” (5:35). This clear enough, yet the wrong committed by these Sunni extremists also has an ideological dimension: it is idolatry, the worshipping of false gods and idols, in particular the putting of a person such as Al-Baghdadi or Osama Bin Laden, or oneself, in God’s place as the arbiter of who should live and who deserves to die.
State-Building Dilemmas After the Arab Spring
Authors: Hazri Tengku Ahmad
Published: July 2021

The alarming state of West Asia and North Africa (WANA) today reverses conventional wisdom regarding constitutionalism. For long the Holy Grail of constitutional reform was on finding the best way to limit government authority. Yet the sheer chaos and instability of Middle East regimes now leads many to wonder if indeed the real problem is not the lack of functioning statehood to start with. How could one “limit” state authority when the personal dictatorships across the land hardly qualify as functioning states at all? That the states disintegrated into chaos after the fall of the rulers - evident especially in the case of Libya - provokes the question whether the so-called state institutions were not merely extended shadows of one man, whose downfall naturally brought with it the end of the entire political infrastructure.
Performance Art as an Instrument of Spiritual Contemplation: The Case of the Malay Wayang Kulit (Shadow Play)
Authors: Hazri Tengku Ahmad
Published: July 2021

This article offers an interpretation of the wayang kulit (Malay shadow play) as a type of traditional art, in which the art forms are conceived within the broader cosmology derived from religious tradition. To this end, it focuses on three aspects of the play, namely, the rituals, mythology and symbolism in the setting to uncover their meanings and how these relate to the tradition in which it was conceived. As the play predates Islam and was immersed in animistic and Hindu-Buddhist milieu, it underwent reinterpretation to accommodate the coming of Islam and in fact was utilised to convey Islamic message by building on the people’s pre-Islamic beliefs, thereby offering an instance of intercultural dialogue through art.
Customers' Awareness, Attitude and Patronage of Islamic Banking in Nigeria
Authors: Kewuyemi Kareem Muritala
Published: July 2021

This study examines customers’ awareness of Islamic banking products and services in Nigeria and explores their attitude towards them. It also investigates their patronage of the banks. An 18-item questionnaire was designed for businesspersons, Muslims and non-Muslims, to obtain information on issues such as awareness of Islamic banking, loans without interest, collateral security, agency, partnership based on sharing of profits and losses and patronage of an interest free financial system. The results show the willingness of the Muslims and a large number of non-Muslims to patronize Islamic banking products and services. Products and services offered by a large number of the respondents were shariah-compliant. Their readiness to give collateral security, which is neither compulsory nor against the dictates of Islam, indicates their attitude and preparedness to patronise Islamic banks. However, a few non-Muslim respondents state they will not patronise Islamic banking products even if they are profitable and they are the only products in the banking sector in Nigeria. This study will assist promoters of Islamic banks in Nigeria to know where they can establish full-fledged Islamic banks. There is need for the existing and the potential Islamic banks to create more public awareness on Islamic banks.
Reimagining Islamic Ethics in Contemporary International Relations
Authors: Abdullah Ahmad Badri
Published: July 2021

The deplorable plight of Rohingya Muslim boat refugees who have been refused entry by their neighboring Muslim countries was a disheartening episode for the ummah. The subsequent involvement of the Turkish government in dispatching ships of the Turkish Armed Forces to rescue the refugees has reopened the discourse on the necessity for a confederation of Muslim nation-states acting in concert within the global context as an operative framework of Islamic ethics in international relations. The episode invites Muslims to rethink the role of their own religious tradition in providing relevant ethical guidelines for international affairs that simultaneously address the reality of the modern nation-state.
Is Garnishee Proceeding Feasible on Islamic Banking Deposits and Investment Accounts in Malaysia?
Authors: Abdullah Apnizan
Published: July 2021

It is common in loans or debts recovery action that once a creditor obtains a judgment from the court of law against his debtor, he will eventually proceed to enforce it. Fundamentally, there are several methods of enforcement of the judgment available to the judgment creditor, inter alia writ of execution which includes writ of seizure and sale, writ of possession and writ of delivery, judgment debtor summons, stop orders, appointment of receiver and committal. Another prevailing mode of the enforcement of judgment in the market is garnishee proceeding. Procedurally, a garnishee proceeding is initiated by a judgment creditor by way of applying to the court for an order to be issued on a person who is indebted to the judgment debtor (a garnishee) to satisfy the amount judgment sum or a sum of an order of payment issued by the court against the judgment debtor.
Islam in China: The Han Kitab Tradition in the Writing of Wang Daiyu, Ma Zhu and Liu Zhi, With a Note on Their Relevance for Contemporary
Authors: Wain Alexander
Published: July 2021

This paper examines the unique Chinese brand of Islam known as the Han Kitab. Beginning with a brief historical overview of the Sinicised Muslim community which created this tradition, the paper proceeds to examine the work of three key Han Kitab figures: Wang Daiyu, Ma Zhu and Liu Zhi. All active between the mid-seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, the paper argues that their utilisation of the Islamic concept of din al-fitra (or humanity’s innate inclination towards a belief in God), coupled with a willingness to engage positively with Neo-Confucian thought, resulted in a uniquely multicultural form of Islam; the Han Kitab, we will conclude, represents an early example of Islamic ‘ecumenical thought’. By actively seeking to appreciate and acknowledge the commonalities between Islam and Chinese tradition, the Han Kitab overcame exclusivism and stressed moderation. In the context of the challenges posed by contemporary Salafi-inspired Islamic extremism, this paper will argue that the Han Kitab has never been more relevant than it is today.
Islam in Macedonia: The Origins, Evolution and Role of the Islamic Religious Community From the Ottoman Period to the Present
Authors: Idriz Mesut , Ali Muhamed
Published: July 2021

In Macedonia, faiths and religions, along with their followers, are typically represented by specific state agencies. Thus Islam has always been represented by a state organ since the days of the Ottomans in the region until the dissolution of the Communist rule of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Since then, the institution that has played a mediating role between the government of Macedonia and the followers of the religion of Islam in the country has been recognised to be the Islamic Religious Community. This paper will analyse the role of this institutions as a synergy between the government of Macedonia and the believers of Islam as well as its relations with various other Muslim institutions. After a brief illustration of the history of Muslim religious representative institutions in Macedonia, the focus of the discussion will be on the core issues of the Islamic Religious Community as the highest Muslim religious institution in the country. As a case study, it will deal with the institution’s active role in protecting the rights of Muslims at all levels.
Jurisprudence of Minorities (Fiqh al-Aqaliyyat) Revisited
Authors: Kamali Mohammad Hashim
Published: July 2021

In an earlier issue of this journal I introduced the jurisprudence of minorities as being in many ways a new branch of the traditional fiqh that had hitherto remained underdeveloped and is now a work in progress among Muslim scholars and jurists. The present essay is an extension of that discussion and adds practical illustrations of responses by the Islamic Council of Europe (ICE) to issues facing Muslim minorities in Europe.
The Indira Gandhi Case and the Advocacy of Justice
Authors: Wan Mansor Wan Naim
Published: July 2021

In the past decade or so, child custody cases among Muslim-convert and non-Muslim parents remains a controversial issue in Malaysia. The recent court judgment for the ‘Indira Gandhi Case’ re-highlights the issue, while spurring on a heated series of debates across the nation. Many, especially non-Muslims, have touted the latest judgment as a case of gross injustice and part of a worrisome trend of “disempowerment among non-Muslims to seek judicial redress”.
Naser Ghobadzadeh, Religious Secularity: A Theological Challenge to the Islamic State
Authors: Dar Showkat Ahmad
Published: July 2021

This book is an important - though controversial - addition to the discourse surrounding Islamic political thought. It traces its lineage to the debate advocating a separation of religion and politics. By putting this politico-religious discourse into a new oxymoronic term, ‘religious secularity’, the author attempts to construct another theological challenge to the concept of an Islamic state. Hailing from Iran, Dr. Naser Ghobadzadeh (currently a Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Justice, the Australian Catholic University), examines Islamic politico-religious discourse in the context of his homeland. Briefly reviewing the political struggles Muslims have faced during the second half of the twentieth century while trying to fulfil their aspirations of establishing an Islamic state, he attempts to describe the parallel Iranian quest for a democratic secular state. Being aware of the varied definitions and understandings of the term ‘secularism’, he intentionally uses the term ‘secularity’ to clarify the distinction between the emerging discourse in Iran and the conventional understanding of secularism as a global paradigm. This discourse, according to the author, was first developed following a series of articles written by Abdulkarim Soroush in 1989, in which the latter emphasized a separation of religion from religious knowledge (p.25). The author ignores, however, the Sunni scholar, Shaykh Ali Abdul Raziq, who, in his book entitled al-Islam wa usul al-Hukm (1925), held the same view. This might be because of the author’s focus on Shi'ite political thought.
Peace in the Islamic Tradition: One Vision, Multiple Pathways
Authors: Kamali Mohammad Hashim
Published: July 2021

This article begins by looking at peace as a theological principle, before proceeding to explore peace from various other angles, such as peace through inclusivity, peace through non-violence, peace through equity and fair treatment of others. There is also an elaborate articulation of methods for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, including counselling (nasihah), conciliation (sulh), arbitration (tahkim), forgiveness (‘afwa), and truce (alhudnah). After reviewing these, the discussion then presents a selection of Islamic legal maxims (qawa’id kulliyyah fiqhiyyah) that accentuate the primacy of peace in Islam. Legal maxims are concise epithetic declarations of principles that accentuate the higher goals and purposes of Islam. We conclude with a set of actionable recommendations.
The Structural Development of Istisna Sukuk from a Shari'ah Perspective
Authors: Sa'ad Auwal Adam , Mohd. Napiah Mohammad Deen , Ibrahim Uzaimah
Published: July 2021

Istisna sukuk structures have been widely accepted for manufacturing and construction financing purposes. This paper looks at the structural development of Istisna sukuk and evaluates both its basic and combination structures. Concerning the former, the paper argues that when Istisna is used for asset purchasing exercises, it should strictly comply with the general Shariah rules regarding Istisna contracts. Prices must therefore be stipulated at the beginning, as must quality and expected delivery times. The paper then highlights some conflicting features arising from the combination of Istisna and Ijarah transactions. These raise Shariah issues when the issuer seeks to lease an asset to the end user at maturity, even though the asset has been transferred to that end user by way of the Istisna contract. It is therefore recommended that the market innovates in order to develop additional structures free from this type of impediment. The study proposes a ‘multiple contract’ structure be used whenever Istisna sukuk is issued in combination with other debt and equity instruments. This will help overcome Shariah issues related to secondary markets in Istisna sukuk issuances.
Indigenous Islamic Modernity: A Necessary Basis for Renewal and Reform
Authors: Wain Alexander
Published: July 2021

The Orient is not an inert fact of nature. It is not merely there, just as the Occident itself is not just there either…[rather] men make their own history, that what they can know is what they have made. [Edward Said][I aim] to wage an emancipatory cultural and intellectual struggle to save human freedom from the barren wastelands of capitalism and class exploitation, equality and justice from the violent and pharaonic dictatorship of Marxism, and God from the ghastly and gloomy graveyard of clericalism. [Ali Shariati]
"A Thousand Sages Have but One Mind": The Forging of a Joint Chinese-Muslim identity
Authors: Wain Alexander
Published: July 2021

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak’s recent six-day trip to China revives a long tradition of Malay-Chinese co-operation stretching all the way back to the Melaka Sultanate. During the early fifteenth century, three of Melaka’s Sultans travelled to China in person, where they vied with other nations to forge a special relationship with the Middle Kingdom. As a result, Melaka became China’s closest ally, ultimately acting as a base for all Chinese activity in the Nusantara. It was largely because of this close co-operation and the immense wealth that it generated, that Melaka subsequently became the Nusantara’s first great Islamic power, able to disseminate Islam throughout the region.
Operation of the Bayt al-Mal in Saki: Implications for Poverty Allevation in Nigeria
Authors: Kareem Muritala Kewuyemi , Adetoro Yusuf Aminullahi
Published: July 2021

Different researches have brought to the fore a number of remarkable contributions of the bayt Al-Mal as a fiscal policy in the redistribution of wealth. In Nigeria, a few studies have been undertaken to evaluate the evolution and state of the Bayt Al-Mal. None of the studies however have undertaken an analysis of the operation and impact of the Bayt Al-Mal in the town of Saki as a mechanism for the redistribution of wealth. Therefore, this paper examines the activities and impact of Saki’s Bayt Al-Mal in meeting some of the growing needs of Muslims, including in the areas of poverty alleviation, education and health. The study reveals that Saki’s Bayt Al-Mal has recorded tremendous achievements in meeting some of the growing needs of Muslims and non-Muslims in the areas of health and education through the establishment of a Muslim School of Basic Midwifery, Muslim Medical Foundation, Muslim Hospital, and Muslim Primary and High Schools. The paper concludes that a sound Bayt Al-Mal is a necessary pre-condition for the pursuit of effective poverty alleviation measures. The paper recommends that Zakat should be one of its main sources of funding.
The Role of Shariah Law in Islamic Financial Contracts in the UK and the US: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Abdullah Apnizan , Ismail Shahrul Mizan , Zainal Abidin Halila Faiza
Published: July 2021

The adoption of the doctrine of secularism in the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) is clear. Secularism separates human activities in the public sphere from religion. In Western countries, the development of Islamic finance, which stands on the principles of Shariah, could be impeded due to this doctrine. This is because, in Islam, religion is part and parcel of human life. Unlike the US, the UK has made certain efforts to accommodate Islamic finance needs by amending its regulatory structure. Adequate regulatory set ups for Islamic finance in both countries are very crucial, particularly in the UK, since its government aims to promote London as the hub for Islamic finance in Europe. Therefore, in view of the importance of these two giant financial jurisdictions, this study aims to provide a comparative legal analysis of the position of Shariah in Islamic financial contracts in the UK and the US. In particular, this study highlights the legal and judicial treatments made by the courts in both countries pertaining to the subject matter. This study concludes by highlighting the present position of the subject matter.
Halal Europe: a Premium Halal-Tayyib Brand?
Authors: Tieman Marco
Published: July 2021

Europe is a leading exporter of food products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to Muslim countries in Asia and the Middle East. Unlike Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand, the halal standards in European countries do not organise their safety standards. While Muslim countries are introducing new halal standards and strengthening their certification requirements, exporters in European countries are increasingly facing difficulties in complying with the new halal regulations. European governments have regarded these new regulations as barriers to their trade with Muslim countries. Does this reflect their lack of understanding of halal, or do they have a valid argument?
Islamic Investment in Singapore
Authors: Hassan Haron Masagoes
Published: July 2021

The financial market continues to give both positive and negative outlooks for 2017. The equity market in major developed regions is at an all-time high, with US stock leading the way. Nevertheless, and as is commonly known, financial institutions have cautioned investors with reports of market volatility, uncertainty and deteriorating corporate earnings.

But while the equity market seems to be experiencing a downturn, there is a positive outlook in Islamic finance. As reported by Standard & Poor (S&P) Islamic Finance Outlook 2017, Shariah compliant financial assets for this year are steadily growing to $3 trillion from $2.1 trillion at the end of 2016 as products expand in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa and even America. Indeed, Islamic finance has expanded to many Western jurisdictions. In 2014 the United Kingdom (UK), for instance, became the first Muslim minority country to show interest in becoming a major player in Sukuk (Islamic bonds), a decision followed by Luxembourg, South Africa, Hong Kong and most recently Japan.
Custody and Religion of Minors in Malaysia
Authors: Mohamed Adil Mohamed Azam
Published: July 2021

Child custody refers to the upbringing of a child, including the parental responsibility to provide protection, love, care, education, shelter and management. Generally, in determining who will be the legal custodian of a child, a court will first and foremost ensure that the child’s welfare is well-protected. 

In Malaysia, child custody is governed by two separate laws, one for non- Muslims and one for Muslims. For non-Muslims, the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act of 1976 (Act 164) holds sway, while for Muslims it is either the Islamic Family Law Enactments of the respective states or the Islamic Family Law Act of the Federal Territories that are relevant. While the Malaysian civil court operates over the non-Muslim laws, the Syariah court operates over the Muslim ones.
Environmental Fitrah in the Light of a Systematic Approach to Shariah and Science
Authors: Abdullah Ahmad Badri , Abdullah Shahino Mah
Published: July 2021

In the context of global warming and world climate change, Muslim nations across the globe are no exception in grappling with catastrophic and multifaceted environmental crises. In dealing with this phenomenon, Muslim scholars have been promoting a laudable principle of environmental preservation (hifz al-bi’ah) via the maqasid al-shariah, however not without unresolved ambiguities with regard to its actual focus and real implementation. This article provides an alternative conception of environmental preservation by drawing a connection to the well-established Shariah’s objective of preserving fitrah. While the mainstream discourse of preserving fitrah primarily deals with humans innate dispositions, this article suggests its expansion to a wider scope of nature’s innate properties, drawn upon from the resource of scientific discourse in systems thinking. Through a comparative analysis on Islamic sources and systems thinking literatures on nature, the article proposes that natures ability to sustain life through systemic interconnections, constitutes the important aspect of fitrah that necessitates preservation, even enhancement. Finally, through the suggested conception of environmental fitrah, the article discusses some pressing issues of Genetically Modified (GM) foods, and climate change in order to delineate the feasibility of systems thinking approach that may lead to reasonable policy recommendations.
Boko Haram’s Claim to an Islamic Caliphate: Is it Creditable?
Authors: Fahm AbdulGafar Olawale
Published: July 2021

As Boko Haram tries to establish a new caliphate, while imposing Shariah law and persecuting and kidnapping young girls, it is timely to enquire into both the workings of the early caliphate and the role an Islamic state should play in the world. The aim of this paper is both to counter Boko Harams approach to the caliphate and examine the administration of Umar bin Abdul Aziz (715-717CE). The article is qualitative, permitting a descriptive and historical approach. This study examines Umar bin Abdul Aziz as a devoted Muslim who set new standards for what a Muslim ruler should be like. This study suggests that, despite Muslim dreams of a return of the caliphate, this concept means different things to different people. While Boko Haram violently struggles for power, Islam encourages sovereignty based on honour and gained through better actions and faith.
Community Engagement and the Creation of Social Capital
Authors: Shaleh Muhammad Adha
Published: July 2021

Since the concept of sustainable development gained traction in the early 70s, there has been demand for new approaches, perspectives, and practices to the conservation of natural resources. The proposition that much of our modern environmental policies need citizen participation is widely accepted. In line with this standpoint, several concepts have emerged. They are shaped by Faith- Based Environmental Conservation, theoretical developments on environmental governance of the commons (e.g. Community Based Natural Resources Management), and social capital. The first and the second concepts indicate the integration of religious principles and social ecological wisdom into natural resources management. The third concept captures the idea that social bonds, norms, cultures, knowledge, attitudes, and information channels are central for a sustainable environment. In a highly organised group, where social capital is strong, the pace towards environmental sustainability has been expedited by successes in community-based programmes.
The Contribution of Early Muslim Scholars to Semiotics: Selected Highlights and Implications
Authors: Berisha Elma
Published: July 2021

In a previous article I have argued that the contribution of early Muslim scholars to Semiotics needs to be unearthed and highlighted. Semiotics is broadly defined as the study of signs or sign-use behaviour leading to communication and understanding between humans in society. Semiotics emerged in the early twentieth century as distinct from mainstream philosophy or philosophy of language. As an institutionalised academic discipline, semiotics has acknowledged the implicit contributions of earlier scholars from antiquity, the middle ages and early modernity. However, to date the contribution of Muslim scholars is conspicuously absent. Hence, in this article I intend to recapitulate perspectives from selected Muslim scholars in order to obtain a more balanced notion of sign-function and its potential implications. This is where the unique contributions of al-Ghazali (1058-1111) and Ibn Barrajan (n.d.-1141) come in, whose perspectives are reflected in key modern approaches to sign models and their interpretational tendencies. The article suggests that there is a need to explore the legacy of Muslim scholars in the field of semiotics in a much more systematic and comprehensive way, given that sign-based thinking (or the ayah doctrine) is a major theme in the Quran.
The Yemeni Quamire: A Humanitarian Tragedy of Dire Proportions
Authors: Mohiuddin Asif
Published: July 2021

The war in Yemen, which escalated in March 2015, is making a dire humanitarian situation worse, with insurgent groups expanding and no end in sight to an intractable ideological conflict between warring political factions who appear further entrenched in their enmity than ever before, despite UN efforts to push Yemeni leaders towards new negotiations. The conflict has turned the country into a humanitarian catastrophe; fighting on the ground and air strikes have killed 10,000 people and displaced more than three million. According to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 19 million people, almost 70 percent of the population, are in need of humanitarian aid.
Religion and State Are Twin Brothers: Classical Muslim Political Theory
Authors: Masud Muhammad Khalid
Published: July 2021

The current reluctance for democratic transition in Muslim societies is mostly attributed to Islamic political theories that do not allow a separation between religion and politics. Extremist views often reject democracy because it is perceived to be anti-religion. This paper examines the thread of classical Islamic political theory that considers religion and state to be inseparable twin brothers. Exploring the origins of this thread in Sassanid and tenth century Islamic thought, analysis of the doctrine reveals that Muslim political thought more generally has traditionally been more pragmatic on political issues (siyasah), with Muslim jurists continuously marking boundaries between religion and culture in their fatawa, particularly concerning bid’ah (innovation) and tashabbuh bi’l kuffar (imitation of the infidels). Indeed, all definitions of religion that make it inseparable from the state are seen to be a modern phenomenon, in which religion is defined in terms of the ideology of political power, with secularism perceived as its rival. Analysing diverse interpretations of the doctrine from the Abbasid period to the twenty-first century, the paper finds that, like twin brothers, religion and politics are separate in Islam albeit united in their origin. This perspective becomes more meaningful in modern times if we recognise the role of social consensus (ijma’), besides the political and the religious spheres.
Reinstating the Roles of Maqasid al-Shari'ah
Authors: Abdullah Ahmad Badri
Published: July 2021

In recent decades, due to different factors, awareness of the critical importance of maqasid al-shariah as the foundation of the Islamic legal system has been on a rising trend. It has become a timely topic in different spheres, especially Islamic studies and research. Numerous academic works in contemporary Islamic scholarship have used maqasid al-shariah as a theoretical basis. They range from university dissertations to academic journals, to books, to policy papers. In some Muslim countries, like Malaysia, maqasid al-shariah has become a national agenda with the launch of the Shariah Index, a governance metric that uses maqasid principles to gauge the country’s performance from the Islamic outlook.
Considering Maalat as an Approach to Applying Maslahah in Reality
Authors: Ishak Muhammad Shahrul Ifwat
Published: July 2021

Maalat (consequences of an action) was suggested by al-Shatibi as a principle to engage with situations where the outcomes of Islamic rules are not in line with their objectives. While rules in Islam are revealed for the sake of maslahah (well-being), in some situations implementing them might not achieve this element, maybe even militating against it. Through maalat, al-Shatibi suggested providing exceptions in those situations, involving either the banning of a permitted action or the toleration of a prohibited action. However, without a proper understanding of this principle, its application could be misunderstood as a way to justify amending a rule in the name of maslahah. This might eventually endanger the integrity of the Islamic rules. In this regard, this paper aims to analyse al-Shatibi’s conception of maalat and identify the fundamentals behind this principle. The findings reveal that the principle of maalat must be applied under the disciplines of ijtihad (reasoning) and maqasid al-Shariah (objectives of Islamic law), and with reference to an accurate understanding of reality, thereby ensuring its application is in line with Islamic principles.
The Value of Islamic Guidance for Corporate Governance
Authors: Lieberman Kurt
Published: July 2021

Islamic guidance is a positive influence on humanity in numerous and diverse ways. In addition to its influence on individuals, Islamic guidance for good corporate governance provides a valuable, practical and business-relevant moral compass. For example, when a business incorporates maqasid values into its conduct, a better experience or outcome can usually be expected. Islamic guidance for humanity helps individuals lead a better life. When individuals are part of an organisation, the environment in which they interact needs to be addressed as well. While individuals should strive to be positive and contribute to the improvement of humanity, creating a suitable climate makes the striving easier and more successful. Essentially, governance is the structure, mechanism, and culture that enables good things to happen. When there is good governance, the result can be a virtuous circle where good actions get reinforced and amplified.
Islamic Finance and the Issue of Unauthorised Agency
Authors: Ali Mohammad Mahbubi , Kamaruzaman Hamzah
Published: July 2021

The notion of tasarruf fudhuli (disposition of unauthorised agency, hereafter referred to as unauthorised agency) in Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) has  invoked an ongoing debate among Shariah scholars and Muslim economists alike. Some perceive its application in IFIs as a violation of the general axiom of wealth protection that prohibits the encroachment of another’s property as an important aspect of the protection of lawfully-owned property. On the other hand, many assert that the ratification feature under the concept attracts product innovation and offers flexibility to IFIs to rectify transactions involving the issue of unauthorised agent.
Stoning As Punishment of Zina: Is It Valid?
Authors: Kamali Mohammad Hashim
Published: July 2021

Three issues are explored in this article with regard to death by stoning as a punishment for adultery. First is its total absence in the Quran; the Quran makes no reference to stoning, providing a punishment of one hundred lashes of the whip for all adulterers, without any further qualification. Stoning as a punishment originates in the Sunnah of the Prophet, who applied it in the case of married adulterers, thus seemingly reserving the Quranic punishment for the unmarried adulterer. This perspective has dominated legal practice ever since. The second issue arising is as to how the conflicting rulings in the Quran and Sunnah relate to one another. Is it a case of specification (takhsis) or of abrogation (naskh)? If the latter, is it in order for the Sunnah to abrogate the Quran? The third issue is over the chronological sequence of the two rulings. If it is accepted that the Quranic ruling was revealed in Madinah after the few cases in which the Prophet applied stoning, then the Quran would have effectively overruled/abrogated the Prophetic practice. It is also said that the Prophet applied stoning by reference to the Torah, which was then set aside by the Quran. A minority opinion has also held that the Prophet applied stoning by way of tazir. A number of prominent twentieth-century shariah scholars have advised against the enforcement of stoning altogether.
Implications of Child Custody in Islamic Family Law: A Case Study of Customary Courts in Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Yusuff Aminullahi Adetoro
Published: July 2021

Studies carried out to investigate the immediate and remote causes of marital discord arising from many of the customary courts in Oyo State, Nigeria, revealed that out of 127 divorce-related cases, 87 involved Muslim couples. Out of this number, 53 were linked to custody of children (al-hadanah which is a regulation that has to do with whom should a child stay after the dissolution of marriage for his/her proper nourishment, protection and wellness in the process of upbringing). This issue has led to many serious disputes among Muslim couples and their families in many localities of the state so much that, in many cases, it has led to street fights, vandalisation of property, civil unrest and legal battles. To worsen the situation, without recourse to Islamic marital jurisprudence, judgments are passed in the customary courts in favour of either of the couples. Therefore, the aftermath of the court verdict does not end this debacle in some cases, with to snowballing into spiritual fighting, where family members of the couples bewitch one another to take custody of the children. This problem is not new but it has risen to an alarming proportion these days. It is against this backdrop that an attempt is made in this paper to examine the practice of child custody after divorce or separation in Islam with a view to laying to rest the series of crises associated with the determination of who is to take care of children after divorce and to bring to peoples awareness the shariah rulings on child custody. The paper concludes that al-hadanah is a measure in disguise to safeguard indiscriminate severance of the cord of marriage and that Islam, through its system of law, has provided practical and lasting solutions to every imagined and real problem of man and that adoption of children in its various forms and types is forbidden in Islam.
Is Unilateral Conversion The Best Solution
Authors: Mohamed Adil Mohamed Azam
Published: July 2021

The issue of unilateral conversion of minors has once again generated widespread uproar in Malaysia when the Federal Court unanimously decided, in the case of Indira Ghandi on 29 January 2018, that both the parents consent was required in determining the faith of minors. In Malaysia, Article 12 (4) of the Federal Constitution provides that "For the purposes of Clause (3) the religion of a person under the age of eighteen years shall be decided by his parent or guardian." The Federal Court held, in this case, that the word 'parent' must be understood in the plural form, denoting both 'parents, based on Schedule Eleven of the Federal Constitution and sections 5 and 11 of the Guardianship Act 1961. This decision marked a departure from the previous Federal Court judgement in Subashini (2007) in which parent was defined as one of the parents. The Federal Court in the Indira Ghandi case also rejected the argument put forth by some parties that the decision in the case of Susie Teoh (1990), who voluntarily converted to Islam at the age of 16, had a bearing on the interpretation of the word parent as singular or plural.
Ahmed M. Abohebeish - Introduction to Islamic Rules of Financial Accounting
Authors: Bhuiyan Rubaiyat Ahsan
Published: July 2021

Introduction to Islamic Rules of Financial Accounting by Ahmed M. Abohebeish can be considered a recent addition to the growing literature on Islamic accounting. He taught accounting at many universities in USA and Middle East. He has more than 30 years of experience in the field of accounting in national and international corporations. The author has researched the subject matter for 25 years. Rather than using a common title such as Islamic Accounting, the author uses Islamic Rules of Financial Accounting. The author mentions that this book can be helpful for both Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslims will be able to know about this issue in the light of their own religion and non-Muslims can evaluate and criticise the Islamic theories. One important aspect of this book is that the author makes a comparative analysis of the Western practices and the Islamic rules of financial accounting.
Malaysia: Roof of a Democratic Society
Authors: Tuanku Muhriz HRH Tunku Zain al-Abidin ibni
Published: July 2021

In discussing democratic transitions in the Muslim world, many turn to episodes in the history of the Middle East, Andalusia, the Ottoman Empire and Mughal Empire for inspiration. By comparison, Southeast Asia is often neglected. Looking back at Malaysia’s rich history, however, evidence of democratic leanings situated within a specifically Muslim cultural and religious context are clearly evident. This paper briefly discusses six such leanings, namely: the fourteenth-century Terengganu Inscription Stone (Batu Bersurat Terengganu), which hints at notions of a social contract, rule of law and limits to a rulers authority; the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu’s) story of King Sangsapurba and its concept of a social contract; the unquestioned loyalty to authority demonstrated in the famous story of Hang Tuah; the 1656 text called the Laws of Melaka (Undang-undang Melaka), which reveals an understanding of legal, economic and philosophical concepts that were first expounded in Europe only during the Enlightenment; Johors Kangchu System, where Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim practiced the issuing of surat sungai, granting leases to planters to cultivate river banks; and, lastly, the key concepts of Negeri Sembilans ancient adat pepatih, which have been adapted to serve present-day Malaysia. The democratic developments that occurred in these explicitly Malay Muslim examples provide an alternative to the authoritarian modes of thinking often advocated by modern-day proponents of a supposedly more Islamic society. Without a renewed national consensus affirming these underlying principles of the nation, involving all parties and a cross-section of citizens, these centuries-old roots of democracy may yet be poisoned and eradicated in Malaysia.
SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND IN VITRO STUDY OF ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF SOME NOVEL DIHYDROPYRIMIDINTHIONE DERIVATIVES
Authors: BALUJA S. , CHANDA S. , BHALODIA R. , TALAVIYA R.
Published: July 2021

Dihydropyrimidinthione is an important class of heterocyclic compounds which exhibits wide spectrum of biological activities. In the present study, some bio-active dihydropyrimidinthione derivatives have been synthesized and their characterization was done by IR, NMR and mass spectral data. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of synthesized compounds have also been studied in N,N-dimethyl formamide and Dimethyl sulfoxide.
LEVENBERG-MARQUARDT METHOD APPLIED TO THE DETERMINATION OF VAPOR-LIQUID EQUILIBRIUM MODEL PARAMETERS
Authors: OLIVEIRA J.A. F. , DUARTE M.M. L. , FOLETTO E. L. , CHIAVONE-FILHO O.
Published: July 2021

In order to correlate and optimize experimental data either from the laboratory or industry, one needs a robust method of data regression. Among the non-linear parameter estimation methods it may be pointed out of Levenberg, which applies the conversion of an arbitrary matrix into a positive definite one. Later, Marquardt applied the same procedure, calculating  parameter in an iterative form. The Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is described and two routine for correlating vaporliquid equilibrium data for pure component and mixtures, based on this efficient method, have been applied. The routines have been written with an interface very accessible for both users and programmers, using Python language. The flexibility of the developed programs for introducing the desired details is quite interesting for both process simulators and modeling properties. Furthermore, for mixtures with electrolytes, it was obtained a coherent and compatible relation for the structural parameters of the salt species, with the aid of the method and the graphical interface designed.
ACTIVE DISTURBANCE REJECTION CONTROL TUNING EMPLOYING THE LQR APPROACH FOR DECOUPLING UNCERTAIN MULTIVARIABLE SYSTEMS
Authors: TEPPA-GARRAN P. , GARCIA G.
Published: July 2021

The ADRC tuning is essentially a pole-placement technique and the desired performance is indirectly achieved through the location of the closed-loop poles. However, the final choice of these poles becomes a trial-and-error strategy. In contrast with pole-placement, in the LQR method, the desired performance objectives are directly and globally addressed by minimizing a quadratic function of the state and control input. ADRC tuning employing the LQR approach is then applied for decoupling uncertain MIMO systems. This is done by considering all the coupling and interference interactions between the channels of the system as disturbances, using an ESO to estimate them in real time and then canceling its effect employing the estimate as part of the control signal.
PREDICTIVE GENERALIZED MINIMUM VARIANCE CONTROL OF NONLINEAR MULTIVARIABLE SYSTEMS WITH NON-ANALYTICAL MODULES
Authors: WANG J.
Published: July 2021

For most of the control methods, it is implicitly assumed that a mathematically analytical model can be obtained before control design. This is not always feasible for many engineering systems whose analytical models are either very difficult or expensive to obtain. To handle this situation, linearization or identification techniques are usually deployed to obtain an analytical model. This paper, however, proposes a novel method to tackle directly those systems with non-analytical modules. The method does not rely on the inversion of the nonlinear system and is henceforth computationally economic. Important results are obtained on control design for nonlinear multivariable systems with nonanalytical modules. Input saturation, robustness and practical implementation issues are also discussed. The proposed method is finally validated through its application to a robotic manipulator.