The ICRC has acknowledged the importance of understanding the Islamic laws of war since the 1950s, and has intensified its engagement with Islamic institutions and scholars since the 1990s. Today, approximately two-thirds of its current operations and budget are focused on armed conflicts in Muslim contexts, where Islamic law can provide useful references and insights to help protect people affected by conflict.
In this series of videos, eight Muslim scholars from around the world present their perspectives on topics related to Islamic law and International Humanitarian Law (IHL), also known as the “law of war”.
Do IHL and Islamic law contradict one another?
Said Bourhani – Lecturer in Islamic law and IHL, President of the University of Comoros
Special protection of children under Islamic law (including recruitment of children)
Kenan Musić – Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Head Imam for Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
What is the ground for protecting healthcare workers under Islamic law?
Fassi Fihri Driss – Professor and Vice-President of al-Qarawiyyin University, Morocco
What do Islamic Law and IHL say about the use of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear and chemical weapons)?
Sohail H. Hashmi – Professor of International Relations at Mount Holyoke College, United States of America
What does Islamic law say about attacks on religious sites?
Said Bourhani – Lecturer in Islamic law and IHL, President of the University of Comoros
Protection of humanitarian aid workers under Islamic law
Kenan Musić – Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Head Imam for Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Treatment of the sick and wounded under Islamic law
Mohamed Abdelsamed Mohamed Mahana – Professor of International Law at al-Azhar University and Adviser to the Grand Imam of al-Azhar for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Egypt
Treatment of the sick and wounded under Islamic law
Fassi Fihri Driss – Professor and Vice-President of al-Qarawiyyin University, Morocco
Protection of civilians and civilian property under Islamic law
Sohail H. Hashmi – Professor of International Relations at Mount Holyoke College, United States of America
Special protection for children under Islamic law (including the recruitment of children)
Sameh Ben Farah – Lecturer at Zeytouna University, Tunisia
Main similarities between IHL and Islamic law
Said Bourhani – Lecturer in Islamic law and IHL, President of the University of Comoros
Protection of civilians and civilian property under Islamic law
Kenan Musić – Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Head Imam for Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Handling dead bodies with dignity under Islamic law
Sheikh Ahmad Abadi Abed Al-Sadah Mohammad Al-Shibani – Instructor at Baghdad’s al-Hawza al-Ilmiyya, Iraq
Do IHL and Islamic law contradict one another?
Sohail H. Hashmi – Professor of International Relations at Mount Holyoke College, United States of America
What is the ground for protecting healthcare workers under Islamic law?
Muhammad Nuruddeen Lemu – Director of Research and Training at the Da’wah Institute of Nigeria, Nigeria
Handling dead bodies with dignity under Islamic law
Kenan Musić – Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Head Imam for Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Treatment of detainees under Islamic law
Sheikh Ahmad Abadi Abed Al-Sadah Mohammad Al-Shibani – Instructor at Baghdad’s al-Hawza al-Ilmiyya, Iraq
What does Islamic law say about attacks on religious sites?
Mohamed Abdelsamed Mohamed Mahana – Professor of International Law at al-Azhar University and Adviser to the Grand Imam of al-Azhar for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Egypt
Additional comments about the importance of the topic
Marco Sassòli – Director of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva, Switzerland