Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH Islamic Family Law
School	Birmingham Law School
Department	Law
Module Code	09 32473
Module Lead	Rehana Parveen
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-30 hours Seminar-6 hours Guided independent study-164 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	The aim of this module is to understand and explore the tensions that exist when Muslims organise their private family relationships within an Islamic framework whilst living within Western societies. There will be some opportunities for comparative work in examining the experiences of Muslims in Muslim majority jurisdictions. Students will not be expected to have any knowledge of Islamic law and the module will therefore begin with an introduction to Islamic jurisprudence and the sources of Islamic law before specifically addressing Muslim marriage and divorce practices, division of finances post-divorce and disputes concerning children. Students will be expected to engage with contemporary critical debates on these topics.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Critically examine the sources of Islamic Law and the extent to which they are applied by Muslims living in Western societies. Analyse problem questions concerning substantive Islamic laws of marriage, divorce, child custody and finance. Evaluate the relevant theories of legal pluralism in addressing the needs of Muslims. Reflect critically on the tensions that exist both within Muslim communities and within wider societies in accommodating Muslim family practices.
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment a) 2000 word written piece in the form of an expert report/opinion prepared for a fictional English court case. (50%). b) 1 hour 30mins written examination (50%).
Other
Reading List