Arts & Sciences Program

Faculty & Staff

Dr. Abdullah Al-Shami Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies Email: aalshami@pi.ac.ae Phone: + 971 2 6075216 Office: 2112 (Bu Hasa)

Academic Qualifications

• Ph.D., Comparative Jurisprudence, University of Manchester, UK, 1992.
• I.L.M. Degree, Comparative Jurisprudence, Higher Judicial Institute, Islamic University of Muhammad b. Saud, Saudi Arabia, 1986.
• I.L.B. With High Distinction (Bachelor in Islamic Law “Shari’ah”), Islamic University of Muhammad b. Saud, Saudi Arabia, 1983.

Research Interests

He is internationally recognized for his research in the field of comparative jurisprudence and Islamic Studies with additional expertise in Islamic banking and finance. His research interests focus on Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies, and therefore touch on a wide variety of topics, including: the Judicial Authority System in Islamic Law, Islamic Family Law, Islamic Criminal Law, Islamic Law of Transactions and Finance, Contemporary Islamic Thought and Culture, Islamic Philosophy and Faith, Islamic Ethics and Values, Islam and the Environment, Islamic Law and Human Rights. His publications exceed five books and more than 50 articles, including refereed publications and full length conference proceedings papers. Invited seminars and lectures delivered worldwide total more than fifty. His research has been supported by Fulbright and other international institutions and research foundations. He has strong international ties with research centers in Brunei, Malta, U.K., USA, and Spain. He has been active in research for the past twenty years.

Honors and Awards

• Senior faculty teaching award, the Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
• Fulbright fellowship award for research in School of Law, University of California Los Angeles, USA.

Selected Experience

2007 to present	Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies, The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2006 to 2007	Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Chancellor of the Saba University, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen.
2004 to 2005	Fulbright Visiting Professor Fellow at UCLA Law School, Los Angeles, USA.
2002 to 2004	Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Hodeidah University, and later Dean of the Faculty of Education, Hodiedah, Yemen.
1996 to 2002	Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies, University of Brunei Darussalam, Brunei.
1992 to 1996	Assistance and Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies, Sana’a University, Yemen.
1987 to 1989	Lecturer of Comparative  Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies Sana’a University, Yemen.

Professional Service

2008 - present	Chief academic editor of the Australian Journal of Islamic Studies (AJIS), Islamic Centre for Research and Development Australia (ICRDA).
2008 - present	Member of the International Society for Islamic Legal Studies 'ISILS'.
2007 - present	Member and chair of Islamic Study program at the department of Humanities, Arts and sciences, Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2006 - present	Member of the UNESCO Experts Scholars on Professional Ethics.
2006 - present	Member of the executive experts committee meeting of Euro-Arab Dialogue: The Image of Arabo-Islamic Culture in European History Textbooks, UNESCO Cairo Office.
2005 - present	Member of the American Association of Yemeni Scientists and Professionals.
2003 – 2004	Member of the academic committee referee of Al-Saeed foundation for sciences and culture prize, Republic of Yemen.
1995 – present	Member of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, (BRISMES) and Europe Society.
2003 – 2005	Member of the academic committee for promotion and select appointments, at Hodeidah University, Yemen Republic.
1998 - present	Member of the Section for the Study of Islam, American Academy of Religion (ISLAMAAR).

Selected Publications

Books:
A. Al-Shami, Islamic Legislation and Jurisprudence: a Historical and Semantic Study, University of Brunei Darussalam, 1997 (republished in Cairo, 2001).
A. Al-Shami, The Judiciary System and Legal Procedures in Islamic Shari'ah Law,  Cairo, 2000.
A. Al-Shami, The Basic Rules of Academic Research Methodology, published, Cairo, 2000.

Chapter:
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Islamic Juristic Rules of the Sale of Impure Material Goods: With Special Reference to the Methods of Comparative Islamic Jurisprudence’, Language and Islamic Studies, Kolej University Islam Malaysia, (2003), pp. 9-87.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Status of Leasing (hire-purchase, or al-Ijarah wa al-Iqtina’) as a Contemporary Islamic Finance Form in Islamic Law’, Language and Islamic Studies, Kolej University Islam Malaysia, (2003), pp. 20-80

Journal Articles:
A. Al-Shami, ‘Tawīl and the Meaning of the Text in the Arabic Language: An Introduction to Understanding the Qur'an’, Journal of Qur’anic Studies, Vol. 12, (2010), 314-337.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The investment of Islamic endowment’, Australian Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 2, No. 5, (2010), pp. 1-23.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Importance of Comparative Islamic Juristic Study to Modern Muslim Legislation’, Australian Journal of Islamic Studies,Vol. 1, No. 4, (2009), pp. 1-24, 2009.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Hire Purchase Leading to Ownership in Contemporary Islamic Finance”, Australian Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1, (2008), pp. 1-36.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Extremism and Terrorism between the Phenomenon and Causations’, Journal of Islamic Studies, (2006), pp. 40-40.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The judicial authority (qada') in Islamic law: from 2nd/8th to 8th/14th century’, UCLA Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law, 2006.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Intentions and their Effects on Legality of Dispositions and Contracts’, Journal of Qur’anic Studies, Vol.4, No.1, (2002), pp. 111-130.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Problem of Interpretation in its Expression in Arabic Language with Special Reference to the Basic Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence’, Journal of Languages and Linguistics, Vol. 10, (2002), pp. 1-25.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Sanctity of Judiciary in Islamic Law’, Journal of Al-Islam, Vol. 6, (1998), pp. 69-131.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Jurisdiction and Limitation of Judiciary In Islamic Law’, Journal of Al-Islam, Vol. 5 (1998), pp. 124-142.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Legislation" and Jurisprudence in Arabic Literature and Islamic Juristic Tradition’, Journal of Al-Islam, Vol. 3 (1997), pp. 130-152.

Conference Proceedings & Other Publications:
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Economic System: Solution to the Global Economic Crisis’, Proceedings of the MIM annual conference on “Islamic Finance”, 27th -28th October, 2010, Malta.
A. Al-Shami, ‘How Can Islamic Economy Resist and Solve the Global Crisis’, Proceedings of the Islamic Business and Finance, 14th July, 2010, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Finance – Did it Resist the Global Crisis?’, Proceedings of theProceedings of the International Islamic Finance Conference on “Islamic Finance in a European Financial Services Framework, 12th – 16th October 2009, Malta.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Contributions to Economics and Finance: given the present global economics situation’, Proceedings of the Annual General Conference on a Post Recession Scenario for Malta, 22nd – 23rd May 2009, Malta.
A. Al-Shami,Shari’ah and Fiqh: Which is most accommodating, enabling people to adhere in the modern world?’, Proceedings of the BRISMES Annual Conference on “Frontiers: Space, Separation and Contact in the Middle East, University of Manchester, 4th – 6th July 2009, UK.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Do Sukuk Comply with the Shariah Rules’, Proceedings of the Institute for International Research, on “Islamic Finance Forum (IIFF), 26th – 27th April 2009, Dubai, UAE.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Rules of Shari’ah Boards and Scholars’, Proceedings of the Institute for International Research, on “Islamic Finance Forum (IIFF), 26th – 27th April, 2009, Dubai, UAE.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Orientalists and their Perception of the Image of Arab and Muslim Culture: A Case Study of Joseph Schacht (1902-1969)’,Proceedings of the International Conference on The Image of Arabs and Muslims in the World Literature, Damascus University, Syria, 5th – 7th April 2009, Syria.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Developments of Islamic banks and future prospective’, Proceedings of the Islamic Finance Seminar, Malta Institute of Management, 27th – 30th November, 2008, Malta,
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Bonds Sukuk as a New Mode of Finance in Islamic Law’, Proceedings of the Institute for International Research 15th Conference on ' IIFF: New Markets in Islamic Finance Industry, 13th – 17th, October 2008, Istanbul, Turkey.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islam and Islamophobia: Coming to Terms with Contrasting Labels’, Proceedings of the BRISMES Annual International Conference on Mapping Middle Eastern and North African Diasporas, University of Leeds, 4th – 6th July 2008, UK.
A. Al-Shami, ‘The Yemeni Education between Religious Discourses and Secular Principles’, Proceedings of the Georg-Eckert-Institute for international Textbook Workshop: Many Discourses, One Textbook. The Educational Process and its Intellectual Environment in the Arab World, 28th  October – 1st November 2007, Cairo, Egypt.

Conference Presentations:
A. Al-Shami, ‘Did Islamic Finance Weather the Crisis?’, Islamic Finance in a European Financial Services Framework, 12th – 16th October 2009, Malta.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Takaful VS Conventional Insurance’, panel discussion at the International Islamic Finance Conference on “Islamic Finance in a European Financial Services Framework, 12th – 16th October 2009, Malta.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Funds and Sukuk’, panel discussion at the International Islamic Finance Conference on Islamic Finance in a European Financial Services Framework, from 12th – 16th October 2009, Malta.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Banking VS Conventional Banking Analysis of BASE 11 and Other Implications Country Issues’, panel discussion at the International Islamic Finance Conference on “Islamic Finance in a European Financial Services Framework, from 12th – 16th October 2009, Malta.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Islamic Capital Market’, panel discussion at the International Islamic Finance Conference on “Islamic Finance in a European Financial Services Framework, 12th – 16th October 2009, Malta.
 A. Al-Shami, ‘Diya and Islamic Penalties’, series of presentations delivered in two-day workshop for the Judges of Abu Dhabi, (including the preparation of a manual), organized by Zayed University in partnership with Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 15th & 22nd  April, 2010.
A. Al-Shami, ‘Heritages’ Law in Islam’, series of presentations delivered in two-day workshop for the Judges of Abu Dhabi, (including the preparation of a manual), organized by Zayed University in partnership with Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 18&25 of February, 2010.