31658 - Islamic Countries Laws

Learning outcomes

The acquisition of the essential notions of the law of Islamic countries in a perspective of legal comparison.

Course contents

The Law of Islamic Countries course is aimed at offering students the knowledge of the historical trajectories followed by the evolution, from a constitutional and institutional point of view, of the legal systems of countries characterized by the fact that the majority of the population professes the Islamic faith, in the vast area which extends from Morocco to Indonesia, up to the experiences of the "Arab Spring" and to the most recent events in contexts such as North Africa and the Middle East, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent, the Far East, the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa. Special attention will be devoted to the sources of Islamic law and to the techniques of their interpretation. The course is also aimed at offering essential notions in some fundamental sectors of Islamic legal systems, such as public law, civil and commercial law, family and succession law, criminal law.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory Readings:

1. L. Mezzetti, Diritto islamico. Storia e fonti, istituzioni, società, Giappichelli, 2022;

2. S. Censi, Diritto musulmano e dei Paesi islamici. Fonti, statuto personale, diritto penale, Bonomo, Bologna, 2017.

Non-mandatory Readings:

1. F. Biagi, Constitution-building After the Arab Spring. A Comparative Perspective (Cambridge University Press 2025)

Teaching methods

The lectures held by Prof. Francesco Biagi will focus on the history of Islamic law, the sources of law, the structure of the institutions of Islamic countries, the relations of Islamic law with civil societies of Islamic countries, constitutional transitions and processes of democratic consolidation within the main constitutional systems of Islamic countries.

The lectures held by Dr. Censi will focus on personal status in Islamic law (marriage, family, successions) and further notions of Islamic civil, trade, tax and criminal law.

Each topic will be introduced by the teacher. Students will be encouraged to actively participate in class discussions.

The lessons will be held in the second semester and therefore the students will be able to take the exam starting from May 2026.

Assessment methods

Students will have to take an oral exam on all the program.

Students who attain at least 70% class attendance will have the opportunity to take the oral exam during an early session (pre-appello) to be held in April-May (the exact date will be announced at the beginning of the course). This early exam session will focus on the topics covered during the course.

For illustrative purposes only, the following criteria will guide the awarding of marks:

- 18–19: limited preparation on a small number of topics covered in the course; limited analytical ability; generally correct use of language.

- 20–24: preparation on a limited number of topics; independent analytical ability only on purely procedural matters; correct use of language.

- 25–29: broad preparation across a wide range of course topics; ability to make independent and critical analyses; good command of subject-specific terminology.

- 30–30 with honours (lode): comprehensive knowledge of course content; strong critical and analytical skills, including cross-topic connections; excellent command of technical terminology, as well as strong argumentation and self-reflective skills.

Students with DSA or with temporary or permanent disabilities are advised to contact the University’s dedicated support office in advance: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it . This office will liaise directly with the students concerned to propose any appropriate accommodations, which must be submitted for the lecturer’s approval at least 15 days in advance. The appropriateness of such adaptations will be evaluated in relation to the course’s learning objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Biagi

See the website of Sandro Censi