Teaching Malaysian Islamic Legal System: A Reflection of Current Development in the Shariah Legal Practice

Abstract

The legal system in Malaysia is uniquely characterised by the presence of dual legal system namely civil and Shariah. Thus, Shariah Law subject is very important to be taught and included in the Bachelor of Law programme. It prepares the student with strong understanding of Islamic Jurisprudence. Therefore, following the requirement imposed by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), Malaysian Islamic Legal System (MILS) is a compulsory subject introduced at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Teknologi MARA. This paper examines the syllabus and assessment conducted for MILS subject in determining whether teaching and learning methodology of MILS is in line and attuned with the existing development of Shariah legal practice in the country. In order to achieve the aim of the paper, a qualitative methodology is employed by analysing relevant policy, program standards and literatures. Finding of the paper highlighted that the Islamic jurisprudence part is crucial for the students while the administration of Shariah Law part should always be updated in line with the contemporary issues and practices.