Relevance of Islamic Land Law for Policy and Project Design

Transcription

1. RELEVANCE OF ISLAMIC LAND LAW FOR POLICY AND PROJECT DESIGN M . SIRAJ SAIT University of East London, UK Conference on Land Policy and Administration The World Bank, Washington DC
2. CAVEATS •  Islamic law - not for promotion, only reality check •  No romantic view– select beneficial principles •  Not a substitute for generic tools, same standards •  No automatic application - where appropriate •  Not seen in isolation – alongside custom, formal law •  Can/must harmonise with international standards
3. STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION INTRO : Potential and Risks of engaging Islamic principles EXPERIENCE: Islam in the fields of Environment, Finance PROGRESS: GLTN Islamic Land Tools Initiative CHALLENGE: How to engage ‘Islamic land law’ CASE STUDY: Muslim Women’s Equal Property Rights STRATEGIES: Road Map for Islamic land law
4. RATIONALE )billion Muslims (35%/ 400 million poor 2.1  ‫؛‬ Pragmatic enhancement of knowledge and capacity  ‫؛‬ Islamic law still expanding, so help demystify  ‫؛‬ .Impacts land admin/management, land tenure etc  ‫؛‬ Enhance legitimacy, ownership, sustainability  ‫؛‬ Potential for innovative, authenticated tools  ‫؛‬
5. RISKS ?Islamic law- Outdated, rigid, complex norms  ‫؟‬ ?Unravel positive universal standards  ‫؟‬ ?Exclude secular, moderate actors  ‫؟‬ ?Obstruct international actors  ‫؟‬ ?Could undermine women’s rights  ‫؟‬ ?Uncertain results, difficult to evaluate  ‫؟‬
6. ISLAM IN OTHER FIELDS LAND FINANCE ENVIRONMENT
7. ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE HELPS •  Islamic law & legal Pluralism (Indonesia) •  legislative reform -Mudawwana (Morocco) •  'judicial activism' through ijtihād (Bangladesh) •  Activism -Women’s rights breakthrough (Iran) •  Islamic dispute resolution- Mogadishu/ Oyo (Nigeria) •  Revival of Waqf across the globe (Kuwait)
8. FAITH AND ENVIRONMENT •  Faith: two-thirds population, 7% land, 54% schools •  1980s- WWF invites 5 faiths for environment •  Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism Each Faith has own statement, programme but interfaith too •  1995 - Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), +6 •  2000-2016 World Bank, UN, BBC involved etc.
9. ISLAM AND ENVIRONMENT •  Environmental as application of IsL- Mosques, Schools •  Community driven = Village Conservation Agreements (Indonesia) •  Africa Muslim Environment Network (AMEN)- Interfaith + secular •  micro-finance, waqf (endowment) and zakat (charity) •  IFEES + CARE – Zanzibar conservation zone (Tanzania) •  Enthusiastic multi-stakeholders, empowerment
10. ISLAMIC FINANCE •  Starts- small philanthropic and commercial local and national initiatives •  Resistance – feel good only, not sustainable, too complex •  More than prohibition of interest, towards just & equitable society •  Now USD180 billion dollars today, 15% growth p.a. – global, microfinance •  West now offers Islamic finance – cross fertilising Islamic & conventional •  Shari’a advisors, non-Muslims experts too. WB on regulation & governance
11. GLTN ISLAMIC TOOLS INITIATIVE GLTN = pro-poor, gendered, affordable, scaleable tools Gender, grassroots, governance, post-conflict, age etc. Cross-cultural, engages customary and faith based Select Islamic tools thru’ rigorous process & integrate Islamic tools small component, began 2004 with study
12. FINDINGS OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH •  Islamic is distinctive, but varied in practice •  Range of empowerment strategies •  Can support security of tenure for landless, urban poor, women and squatters etc. •  ijtihad (reasoning), maslaha (public interest) and ‘adl (justice) for tool approaches, land governance, human rights, empowerment
13. UN-HABITAT ISLAMIC RESEARCH ISLAMIC THEORIES ISLAMIC LAND MICROFINANCE LAW ISLAMIC PROPERTY RIGHTS WAQF WOMEN ’S RIGHTS ISLAMIC LAND TENURE INHERITANCE
14. PROGRESS •  Wide stakeholder consultations support the initiative •  Cairo Initiative on Islamic Land Tools (2005) •  Asks UN-HABITAT and GLTN partners to explore Islamic tools •  Support from Al Azhar, States, civil society •  East London Guiding Principles on Islamic Land Tools (2007) •  Ongoing work – dissemination, training module, Technical Advice
15. ISLAMIC LAND LAW Maqasid al Sharia – Property Rights are key But….. no unified field of ‘Islamic land law’ FAMILY TAXATION WAQF SALE & HIRE PUBLIC
16. FINDING ISLAMIC LAW •  Land analysis/country studies – custom & Islamic different •  57 countries- Islamic socio-historical impacts on contemporary •  Islamic web of tenure - occupation, use, usufruct and full ownership •  Women, urban poor, squatters, slum dwellers, minorities •  Range of state, religious, customary and civil society mediums •  maslaha (public interest) for pro-poor property rights
17. EMPOWERING MUSLIM WOMEN •  Inheritance – Women get half of male, justifications •  Nothing that Women do not have EQUAL property rights •  Right to acquire, utilise, transfer property, irrespective of status •  Compensatory scheme – gift, waqf, dower (waqf), maintenance etc •  How to use Islamic law for Women’s empowerment •  Example of how Islamic law is different from patriarchal/customary
18. LESSONS FROM OTHER FIELDS 1 .  Knowledge creation –how Islamic land law can empower 2.  Harmonisation between Islamic and universal (secular) goals 3.  Diverse Muslim and non-Muslim stakeholders involved 4.  Developing networks through dialogue, common agendas 5.  Brings together international community, State and civil society
19. LOOKING AHEAD Early stages yet on knowledge , capacities or networks Too big for any one organisation- needs expertise, resources Moving from generalised to practical application Identify country and thematic priorities Islamic tool methodology for rigorous professional process Inclusive, focused and non-ideological multi-stakeholding- AMEN!