Research Group 

“Changes in God’s Law – An Inner-Islamic Comparison of Family and Succession Laws”

 

These are the pages of the research group for the law of Islamic countries, which the Institute hosted from 2009 until the end of July, 2024 under the leadership of Professor Dr Nadjma Yassari. With Professor Yassari’s move to the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, the research group has now been reconstituted as the Centre of Expertise for the Law of Arab and Islamic Countries, with Dr Dörthe Engelcke serving as Acting Director.

 

The Research Group “Changes in God’s Law” comparatively explores family law and succession law in Islamic countries. The Group’s aim is to conduct long-term study focused on the transformation and reform of Islamic legal systems. The tasks of the Research Group can be divided into three areas: it performs foundational research, it serves as a centre of expertise, and it carries out projects on topics of current importance. The Group stands as one of the world’s few research entities that is exploring the law of Islamic countries from interdisciplinary and comparative perspectives.

The Research Group has operated at the Institute since 2009. Until the start of 2016 it was financially supported by the Max Planck Society. Owing to generous donations made by the Max Planck Foundation and Ms. Traudl Engelhorn-Vechiatto, who has for many years been a supporting member of the Max Planck Society, the Research Group will be able to continue its successful work in full scope until 2021.