The Islamic legislative drafting methodology is meant to bring the family law of Islamic countries into line with current conceptions of gender equality found not only in the West but in Islamic law (the shari’a) as well. The methodology involves identifying the fundamental principles of shari’a and recognizing that they must be adapted to the socio-economic conditions in which they are to be applied.

The Islamic legislative drafting methodology is meant to bring the family law of Islamic countries into line with current conceptions of gender equality found not only in the West but in Islamic law (the shari’a) as well. The methodology involves identifying the fundamental principles of shari’a and recognizing that they must be adapted to the socio-economic conditions in which they are to be applied.

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The aim of this research is to investigate the implications of unfair dismissal within the boundaries of Omani labour law with particular relevance to the role of Shari’a. Shari’a itself does not provide a legal code, contract law, or a law of tort as yet but it does provide examples of applicable rules, supported with analogies, to deal with employment. The basic principles of forming a contract in Omani Commercial Law; English Law and Shari’a are similar; however, they differ in application. Likewise, the principles of the employment contract are similar with a few differences being seen in implementation; specifically with regards to unfair dismissal issues. This research used a qualitative approach that has enabled the generation and analysis of data from multiple sources including literature review, semi-structured interviews, court cases, Shari’a implied employment contract principles as found in the Qur’an, the Sunnah and relevant Islamic texts. The research shows that the main reasons for employee dismissal can be categorised into: poor performance, disobedience regarding the contractual rules and regulations, absenteeism, aggressive behaviour and an extreme critical attitude in the work-place. From the employee’s perspective, the main reasons for filing cases at Oman Courts were to seek justice, to obtain fair compensation or to highlight the moral values that form the Islamic code of practice. In contrast the employers considered seeking financial gain and revenge as the motivating factors for employees for filing court cases. There obviously is a mismatch to the reasons by each side and the key findings from this research suggest that there is a modest impact of the legal aspects of Shari’a on the Omani Law of Contract and the Employment Law though it is normally conceived by the public that Shari’a is the fundamental law that governs all aspects of muslim life. There needs to be an overwhelming expectation and requirement to develop procedures in the Omani Employment Law that expedite the process of dealing with dismissal cases and the propositions of establishing an arbitration committee may seem to be a way forward. In addition, the establishment of a Labour Court is paramount as at present the employment cases are heard in the Commercial Courts. This will align with the approach taken in the English system where the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal oversee cases and minimize delays in achieving justice. There is also a strong argument that there needs to be a review of Article 40/35/2003 that deals with employer rights to dismiss the worker without prior notice in order to establish a solid foundation for justice in the Sultanate of Oman. Unfair dismissal is a phenomenon that impacts on the employee, the employer, the employee’s wider family network and society. This study provides an in-depth understanding and insight into these impacts and into the capacity of Shari’a impact to address modern employment issues in relation to the labour laws and secular laws being used in Oman today.

The Islamic legislative drafting methodology is meant to bring the family law of Islamic countries into line with current conceptions of gender equality found not only in the West but in Islamic law (the shari’a) as well. The methodology involves identifying the fundamental principles of shari’a and recognizing that they must be adapted to the socio-economic conditions in which they are to be applied.

The Islamic legislative drafting methodology is meant to bring the family law of Islamic countries into line with current conceptions of gender equality found not only in the West but in Islamic law (the shari’a) as well. The methodology involves identifying the fundamental principles of shari’a and recognizing that they must be adapted to the socio-economic conditions in which they are to be applied.

This thesis investigates the compatibility of a crucial aspect of Sudanese criminal justice, namely, the compatibility of the right to a fair trial with two main sources of this right: international human rights law and Shari’a law. The right to a fair trial is a cornerstone for any society and serves to observe the rule of law and other rights of citizens. The study illustrates that the right to a fair trial could play a significant role in the protection of human rights in Sudan. The main aim of this study is to establish ways in which the right to a fair trial can be strengthened in Sudan. The thesis has examined the work emanating from the international level by reviewing decisions, providing general comments and analysing other jurisprudence emanating from bodies such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Human Rights Committee. The decisions, general comments and other jurisprudence from these bodies are juxtaposed against Sudan’s laws to establish the extent to which the right to a fair trial is upheld at the domestic level in Sudan. The study critically examines the sources of the right to a fair trial in Sudan. The main sources of right to a fair trial in Sudan are the Constitution, the Criminal Procedure Act, the Penal Code, Shari’a law and international human rights law. It seeks to answer the question whether Sudanese fair trial rights are compatible with international standards. The study establishes that one of the sources of law that govern the right to a fair trial in Sudan is Shari’a law. The main principle in Islam is that nothing is unlawful, unless it is expressly forbidden by law. However, the Shari’a law in Sudan has not been properly implemented as is illustrated through the rigid and traditional implementation of some of its provisions. The selective and rigid implementation of provisions of Shari’a law has resulted in a conflict with the accepted international standards of fair trial rights. What the study establishes is that a more progressive interpretation of Shari’a law can potentially solve the contradictions with international human rights law that currently exist. The study identifies a number of factors that have affected the development of the right to a fair trial in Sudan. Among these factors are the lack of political will, poverty, the lack of awareness about rights, laws that are contrary to the right to a fair trial, laws that inadequately protect victims and witnesses, impunity, corruption, the lack of resources both human and financial, abuse of power, existence of military and special courts, institutional constraints, discrimination against women, and the refusal or resistance of the executive branch of government to implement decisions of the courts. This study concludes that some pre-trial, trial and post-trial rights and standards in Sudan are not in conformity with international and regional standards. The study concludes by making a number of recommendations aimed at institutional and legal reform. / Dissertation (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Centre for Human Rights / LLD / Unrestricted