Schools in Malaysia – Charting the Direction

Muhammad Nizam Awang

Islamic Science University of Malaysia

Scope of the Paper

This paper ventures into the various possibilities of making Islamic legal education in Malaysia compatible with the contemporary legal trend and issues. Being an Islamic State, there is a need to work within capable local environment to nurture greater degree of scholarship in Islamic law and qualified practitioners. Speaking from local experience, it concludes that broadening the scope of Islamic legal education is crucial in bridging the gaps towards understanding and harmony between shariah and civil (secular) law.

Islamic Law in Dualistic Legal System

As other counterparts in Commonwealth countries, Malaysian legal system is deeply rooted in the common law, and entrenched into bulk of legislations and precedents. The common law tradition was once judicially construed to all branches of law applicable to locals. In the Straits Settlements, English judges endorsed the full-fledged common law reception having considered to the position of the states as terra nullius. Variably, in the Malay States, reception was effected through legislation.¹ Later, the Malaysian Civil Law Act 1956² inserted ‘saving provisions’ that English common law and equity is applicable only to fill the vacuum in law or in the absence of written law in force. Should English law applied, it shall pass the test of suitability (appropriateness?) to local circumstances. The extent of English law application has led the country to the future roadmap – that is to introduce Malaysian Common Law.³

Occupation of British, inevitably to say, has marginalized the application of Islamic law into Muslim personal law, and directly attributed to the limitation of Shariah Court jurisdiction in Malaysia. Both Civil Court and Shariah Court are created by the Federal Constitution, hence jurisdiction and power of the respective courts are defined by the same.⁴ Shariah Court works side by side with its civil counterparts. Being a State Court, however, does not forbid the Constitution from appreciating the special position of Islam,⁵ freedom of religion⁶ and other position associated with the religion of Islam.

 On matters relating to capacity building, two federal governmental agencies are created – that are the Department of Shariah Judiciary Malaysia⁷ and few special Units under the purview of the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia.⁸ Both departments bring together local and foreign experts for consultation on regular basis. Following widespread practice of Islamic law in Islamic banking and finance law, the latter is currently putting the existing legislation under review. Indeed, graduates from premier public law schools are preferred due to their mastery of subject matter and high proficiency in Arabic and English. ⁹

 The need of having qualified personnel in Islamic law is increasingly demanding in the global market. Nik Ahmad Kamal¹⁰ observed that:

 

Though Islamic law is applied to limited subject matter, it should be overestimated as more than 5o percent of the population is Muslim and use Islamic law. An amendment to the Federal Constitution that gave the Shariah Court exclusive jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to Islamic law reiterates its importance and status.

 Following similar line of arguments, Farid Sufian echoed:

The ability of Muslim to exercise their right to have Islamic law applied to them, to certain extent, depend on the existence of a court system that is able to administer Islamic law. In the Malaysian context, the most able court system to do that is the Shariah Court system mainly because it possesses the qualified personnel Islamic law. ¹¹

 Should Islamic legal education reach the genuine framework, this would in turn enrich the range of expertise in all fields of law in Islamic context. Whilst legal practice mainly deals with corporate and banking law (in which Islamic application is limited), learning Islamic law and Islamic Jurisprudence (Usul Fiqh) probably significant in other emerging legal and non-legal areas (ethics and bioethics, policy guidelines, best practices and etc).

Islamic Legal Education in Public Law Schools

There were two courses offered on Islamic law in Malaysian law schools - that were historical development and sources of Islamic law, and the other that encompassed perfunctory principles of Muslim personal law and Islamic criminal law.¹² Elective courses including Islamic Jurisprudence and Islamic Banking are available in their third and final year of law studies. Given the preferred purpose of getting the law degree recognized for professional practice, the syllabus content and delivery of Islamic law courses were very minimal, superficial and introductory in many law schools.

At least, there are two law schools¹³ that have offered other branches of Islamic law. As expounded in those university missions and goals, prospective graduates are expected to be Muslim professionals who are well grounded with exposition Islamic revealed knowledge into contemporary world. Courses offered are varied, but of practical significance to the future carrier and for those pursuing postgraduate level. Irrespective of compulsory or elective papers, the curriculum is always at its best seeks to present comparative analysis whenever possible. This would help student assess the merit, suitability and flexibility of Islamic law in critical way.

In addition, adequate understanding about other legal traditions, without any doubt, is of major importance to strike the balance between argumentative reasoning of adopting certain legal principles and peculiarities subsisting therein. Rather than being defensive, students will be able to synthesize the extent of compatibility of other legal system to principles subscribed under Islamic law. Advocating such approaches also enable Islamic law to gain better respects and confidence in the secular systems. In doing so, it will not only restore the originality of Islamic law, but also make Islamic legal system acceptable to Western readers as the secular system are acceptable to Muslim world.¹⁴

In terms of teaching methodology, the traditional didactic method of teaching and dogmatic approach of teacher can become barren and purely intellectual exercise in Islamic law teaching.¹⁵ As Islamic law constitutes substantial component in professional law program, shifting the existing paradigm are necessary. By any account, there should be deducted approach in which the theoretical framework of Islamic law is applied into specific real life issues. In what is termed as ‘professionalization’, the teaching methodology of Islamic law:

Courses	Synopsis
Islamic	It deals with the constitutional principles in Islam, basic features
Constitutional and	of an Islamic State, historical analysis on Constitution of Madinah
Administrative Law	and its suitability in Islamic modern theory in Malaysian context
	and other countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan. It also
	looks into the definition of constitutional and administrative law,
	principles  of  syura  (reaching  decision  through  discussion)  and
	fundamental   human   liberties,   equality   and   social   justice,
	supremacy  of  Shariah,  obedience  to  the  governor  and  people
	responsibility,  prohibition  to  corruption  of  power,  protection  of
	minority and non-Muslims. It also looks into the role of political
	science and public law in forming system of administration.
Islamic Law of	The course describes the background of banking, guidelines and
Banking and Takaful	practices  of  Islamic  banking.  Discussion  of  Islamic  banking
(Insurance)	introduces  students  to  principles  of  transaction,  contracts  and
	Islamic  banking  products  including  deposit  service,  financing
	services, trade financing (letter of credit based on the concept of
	wakalah,   musharakah,   and   corporate   financing   (syndicate
	financing,  securitization  and  Islamic  bonds).  Special  features  of
	Islamic   banking   and   conventional   banking   are   compared.
	Students are also introduced to the concept of Islamic insurance,
	its  management  system  in  the  Malaysian  context,  security  and
	mutual responsibility, variety of products (under family insurance
	and general insurance), application of interest concept. It will also
	examine the comparison between Islamic insurance (takaful) and
	conventional insurance from aspects of interests, gambling, risks,
	uncertainties   and   exploitation.   References   are   made   to   the
	Islamic Banks Act 1983, Takaful Act 1984.
Islamic Law of Tort	The  course  relates  with  civil  responsibility  of  a  person  over
	others. It introduces the concepts, jurisdiction and development
	of Islamic law of tort. Discussion covers liability on the property
	injury,    personal    injury,    occupier’s    liability,    professional
	negligence  in  economic  standpoints,  construction  and  medical
	profession, trespass of land and defamation. It also explains the
	role  of  hisbah,  available  and  remedies  from  Islamic  viewpoints
	such as compensation and damages.
Islamic Land Law	It  introduces  students  to  the  laws  related  to  land  from  Islamic
	perspectives. As such, it examines on the historical background of
	Islamic  land  law,  development  of  Islamic  law  and  civil  law  in
	respect of land law, applicable customary laws, administration of
	land   in   Malaysia,   the   legal   position   of   reserved   land   and
	conformity of the legal provisions in the National Land Code 1965
	to   the   Islamic   principles   –   leasehold,   recognition   of   land
	reversion, land dealing and transaction, special provision on waqf
	(charitable trust) and preemption rights.
Islamic Law of	This course introduces legal aspects, administration of property
Property	in Malaysia with reference to inheritance, wills, gifts, matrimonial
	property,  nominee  property  and  saving  property.  It  specifically
	discusses   how   inheritance   and   wills   are   governed   amongst
	Muslims and applicable in Malaysia including law of probate and
	administration of property, customary practice. It further focuses
	on administration of zakat (almsgiving) and Baitul Mal (Islamic
	Treasury  Institution)  and  their  role  in  developing  economic
	capacity amongst Muslim in Malaysia.

 Equipped with eight (8) generic skills outlined by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and partial adoption of Clinical Legal Education (CLE) into curriculum, the Faculty is committed to lead more integrated and analytical approach. Following the newly established Committee of Excellence in Teaching and Learning, teaching methodology of all Islamic law and civil law courses are currently under review. It is certainly a daunting task to academics as mentioned by Nik Ahmad Kamal because:

They are a rare species, and although the number is increasing, most of them are young and inexperienced. Given a few more years, the experience and confidence will make them major player in the process of harmonization and integration of Islamic and civil jurisprudence.¹⁸

Reflection for Future Roadmap

The real truth is the judicial and legal profession in Malaysia is still heavily subscribed to the civil law. Nevertheless, liberalization of trade in the global market is creating high prospects and potentials for Islamic law to flourish. Islamic legal education, in turn, must be reflected to keep abreast wit this emerging trend. The legal fraternity also need to be equally supportive to the mission of education – graduates are not only meant to serve industry; rather of preparing graduates of world class standard in terms of their knowledge and adaptability to any kind of environment. In the Malaysian context, triparte and interlinked relationship – law schools, professional bodies and government, is important so that policy or direction pertaining to legal education will be a shared goal.

 

¹ Salleh Buang, Malaysian Legal History: Cases and Materials, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, 2002.

 

² Section 3(1), s. 5(1) of the Civil Law Act 1956. For critical analysis about the British implant on the framework of Malaysian Constitution, see Abdul Aziz Bari, British Westminster System in Asia-The Malaysia Variation, US-China Law Review, January 2007, Vol.4, No. 1 Serial No. 26.

 

³ The realization of Malaysian Common Law might prolong due to many constraints and pending conflicts taking into account the divisive political parties, cross-religion issues and etc.

 

⁴ List I (Federal List) and List II, Ninth Schedule (State List) of the Federal Constitution. For greater analysis see Farid Sufian, Jurisdiction and Power of Shariah Courts in Malaysia, 2003, Malayan Law Journal, Kuala Lumpur, pp.7-24

⁵ Article of 3(1) of the Federal Constitution

⁶ ibid, Article 11(1), (3).

⁷ The Department has successfully marked effort on the standardization of Islamic law throughout all states in Malaysia and enhance capacity building within the structure of Syariah judicial system

 

⁸ The Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia has already created three Units to strategize development in Islamic law in Malaysia, particularly Islamic Family Law and Shariah Judicial System Development Unit, Islamic Banking and Finance Unit, and Interaction and Harmonization Unit.

 

⁹ For further reading on fundamentals, constraints and challenges in Islamization of legal education, read Abdul Aziz Bari, Legal Education and Islamization (1997) 7 IIUM L.J.

¹⁰  Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod, The Importance of Understanding and Teaching Islamic Law in Asia,

Asian Journal of Comparative law Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2006: 13-14.

¹¹ Farid Sufian, Jurisdiction and Power of Shariah Courts in Malaysia, 2003, Malayan Law Journal, Kuala Lumpur.

¹²  Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod, The Importance of Understanding and Teaching Islamic Law in Asia,

 

Asian Journal of Comparative law Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2006: 9. There are currently six law schools in public universities in Malaysia – that are University of Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, International Islamic University of Malaysia, University Teknologi MARA, Islamic Science University of Malaysia and Universiti Utara Malaysia.

 

¹³ Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, International Islamic University of Malaysia (established since 1985) and Faculty of Shariah and Law, Islamic Science University of Malaysia (created since 2000). The Bachelor of Shariah and Law (with Honours) is only offered since 2005. Prior to that, the Faculty offered Bachelor of Shariah and Judiciary (with Honours).

 

¹⁴ Mohammad Tahir Mohammad, Rights and Duties in Shariah and Common Law, 2003, Ilmiah Publisher, Kuala Lumpur, pp. 334-335.

¹⁵  Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod, The Importance of Understanding and Teaching Islamic Law in Asia,

 

 Asian Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2006. For further reading, see Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, 2007, Second Revised Edition, Kuala Lumpur, Ilmiah Publisher.

¹⁶ Abdulmumini Adebayo Oba, Islam, the West and Human Rights: Towards Reconciling the Divergences. Paper presented at the International Conference on Harmonization of Shariah and Civil Law, International Islamic Law University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 29-30 June 2005. See also in general about current trend of legal education in Asia, Cheng Han Tan (leading author), Legal Education in Malaysia, Asian Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2006.

¹⁷ The program outcomes are modified from Criteria and Standards for Programs in the Field of Shariah and Law Education, Quality Assurance Division, Department of Higher Education, November 2002. Starting December 2005, quality assurance practices and accreditation of national higher education is monitored and overseen by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (in effect of the merger of National Accreditation Agency and Quality Assurance Division in December 2005).

¹⁸  Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod, The Importance of Understanding and Teaching Islamic Law in Asia,

Asian Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2006: 11.