Islamic Law and International Relations 2100-ERASMUS-ILIR

This course explores the complex relationship between Islamic law (Sharia and Siyar) and
international relations. Through historical and contemporary perspectives, students will
examine how Islamic legal principles interact with modern international law, diplomacy, state
practices, and global governance. The course investigates key concepts such as jihad,
sovereignty, diplomatic immunity, the use of force, terrorism, and human rights from both
Islamic and international legal perspectives. Special attention will be given to the post-9/11
world order, the role of Islamic states in international law-making, and the legal-political
discourses surrounding the so-called “clash of civilizations.”
Understanding Islamic law is essential to comprehending the worldview, legal logic, and
political behavior of a significant portion of the global population. Islamic law (Sharia and
Siyar) is not a marginal legal tradition — it's the ethical and legal framework for over 1.9
billion Muslims worldwide, and formally influences or shapes the legal systems of over 40
states, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Much of modern
international law is based on Western/European legal traditions. But the global legal order
must also accommodate non-Western traditions, including Islamic law. Islamic concepts like
jihad, Sharia, or caliphate are frequently misunderstood, especially in Western media and
political discourse — often linked unfairly with violence, extremism, or terrorism.
Islamic states and organizations like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) actively
participate in international diplomacy and lawmaking. Issues such as: human rights,
counterterrorism, women's rights, refugee protection, sovereignty and intervention
are shaped by Islamic legal perspectives.
Weekly Structure
Week Topic Key Concepts/Activities
1 Introduction: What is Sharia and
Siyar?

Origins of Islamic law; Qur’an, Sunna, Ijma,
Qiyas, Ijtihad

2 Islamic Conceptions of Ummah, Dar al-Islam vs. Dar al-Harb; legal

2
International Relations pluralism
3 The Role of Islamic Law in Early
Diplomacy

Historical treaties, Islamic protocols of war
and peace

4 Modern International Law vs
Islamic Law

Article 38 ICJ vs. Usul al-Fiqh; sources and
methods

5 The Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC)

Role in diplomacy, treaties, and collective
identity

6 Jihad, War, and Use of Force Legal theory vs. extremist misuse;

contextualising jihad

7 Islamic Perspectives on
Terrorism

Islamic state practices; condemnation vs.
justification

8 Hostage-Taking, Immunity, and
Protection of Diplomats

Comparison with Vienna Conventions;
Islamic precedents

9 Financing of Terrorism and
Islamic Finance

Hawala, zakat misuse, regulation and
compliance

10 Maritime and Aerial Terrorism Case studies (e.g., Achille Lauro,
Lockerbie); Sharia-based responses

11 Human Rights and Islamic Legal
Ethics Gender, minorities, freedom of religion
12 The Post-9/11 Legal Order and
Islamophobia

Clash of Civilizations, securitization,
counterterrorism law

13 Case Study Workshop Group presentations on selected states

(e.g., Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan)

14 Debate: Can Islamic Law Align
with the UN Charter? Structured academic debate
15 Final Review and Reflection Synthesis, feedback, exam prep

Titles of students’ presentations

4

1. Foundations of Siyar: The Islamic Law of Nations in Classical Jurisprudence
2. The Role of Sharia in Modern State Sovereignty: A Comparative Analysis
3. Islamic Views on the Legitimacy and Conduct of War
4. Jihad: Legal Doctrine, Historical Practice, and Contemporary Misinterpretations
5. Islam and the United Nations Charter: Conflict or Compatibility?
6. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): Legal Voice or Political Forum?
7. Diplomatic Immunity in Islamic Legal Tradition vs. Vienna Convention on Diplomatic
Relations
8. The Status of Non-Muslims in Islamic International Law
9. Islamic Legal Responses to Transnational Terrorism: Between Orthodoxy and
Extremism
10. Sharia, International Humanitarian Law, and the Geneva Conventions
11. Case Study: Iran’s Use of Islamic Law in Foreign Policy and Treaty-Making
12. Islamic Legal Principles and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P)
13. Environmental Ethics in Islamic Law and Its Relevance to International
Environmental Agreements
14. The Concept of Ummah and Its Implications for Modern State Borders
15. Islamic Law and Refugee Protection: Norms of Asylum (Aman) Then and Now
16. Human Rights in Islamic Law: A Complement or a Challenge to the UDHR?
17. State Practice: Saudi Arabia and the Codification of Sharia in International Diplomacy
18. The Role of Fatwas in Shaping Foreign Policy: Legal Authority or Political Tool?
19. Hawala Networks: Informal Finance, Counterterrorism, and Islamic Legal
Perspectives
20. Islamic Perspectives on Maritime Law and Piracy
21. The Caliphate as a Legal and Political Concept in Modern IR Discourse
22. Muslim Minorities and International Law: The Rohingya Case in Islamic Legal
Discourse
23. Postcolonial Muslim States and the Reform of International Legal Norms
24. Gender, Islam, and International Law: The Case of Women’s Rights
25. Islamic Legal Pluralism and the Future of Global Governance
26. The Clash of Civilizations or the Dialogue of Legal Traditions?
27. Islamic Legal Thought on the Use of Nuclear Weapons and WMDs
28. Islamophobia, Securitization, and the Misrepresentation of Islamic Law
29. Islamic Criminal Law and International Criminal Justice: Points of Contact and
Divergence
30. Building a Bridge: Prospects for Legal Harmonization between Sharia and
International Law