Islamic Law and International Law: Peaceful Resolution of Disputes

To bring a change in the way that Islamic countries resolve their disputes, policymakers and academic communities must understand how Islamic law -sharia -relates to classical international law. Sharia carries a distinctive understanding of what governance is, where it comes from, and how it should be: according to Muslims, it is Allah's perfect will for the humanity. The classical international law, in contrast, is secular and strives to be indifferent to any particular religious stance. How do tenants of Islamic law relate to international law? In attempting to settle their international disputes, some Islamic countries are supportive of international courts while others resort to less formal conflict management strategies such as mediation or negotiations. This book project asks the following research questions: Are there any similarities between Islamic law and classical international law that may explain why some Islamic countries support only certain international settlement venues, but not others?