NUS Law Launches Muslim Law Practice Course

On 13 October 2018, NUS Law, through its Centre for Asian Legal Studies, launched the inaugural Muslim Law Practice Course in collaboration with Syariah Court of Singapore and MUIS Academy, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). This is the first course of its kind to be conducted in Singapore and serves to fill a gap in systemic legal training in Muslim Law practice in Singapore. The course aims to acquaint participants with a holistic understanding of Islamic family law as practised within the Singapore context.

Speaking at the event, Guest-of-Honour, Mr Amrin Amin (Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of Health), expressed hope that the course would provide participants with exposure to both the classical and contemporary understanding of Muslim family law, and to help them appreciate the ethical principles and objectives underlying Islamic legal thinking.

Justice Debbie Ong (Presiding Judge, Family Justice Courts) also delivered an opening address in which she emphasised the strong partnership between the Syariah Courts and the Family Justice Courts.

Course convenors, Associate Professor Arif Jamal (NUS Law) and Associate Professor Jaclyn Neo (NUS Law) applauded the Syariah Court’s vision in initiating the course in response to feedback from Muslim law practitioners on the need for practitioners to be made more familiar with key concepts and issues relating to the practice of Muslim family law in Singapore.

The course consists of three modules. The first module, which took place on 13 October 2018, commenced with lectures on “Historical Overview, Sources and Contextual Development of Islamic Law”, by Associate Professor Arif Jamal (NUS Law) and Dr Nazirudin Nasir (MUIS). This course was attended by more than 30 practitioners from organisations such as Legal Aid Bureau, Ministry of Law, Family Justice Courts and various law firms.