Exciting News from Sinan Ertemel, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Management at Istanbul Technical University!
I am thrilled to announce the publication of our research paper, titled "A game-theoretical approach to Islamic law disputes," co-authored with my doctoral student, Burak Doğan. This paper has been recently published in the Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research.
Brief Overview of Our Research In this pioneering study, we delved into the intriguing world of Islamic law disputes, particularly focusing on distribution issues. Our aim was to analyze notable distribution dispute cases from Islamic legal history, alongside the resolutions proposed by historical authorities, some of which have evolved into established Islamic case law. Using a game-theoretical approach, we compared these Islamic solutions with traditional division rules through axiomatic analysis. Our ultimate goal was to systematically explore the unique principles underlying Islamic distributions.
Key Findings Our research yielded fascinating insights. For instance, we discovered that the 'Awl and Radd doctrines in Islamic inheritance law are axiomatically equivalent to the Proportional Rule, a prevalent non-Jewish division rule. We also found that Ibn 'Abbas' solution for Awliyya cases uniquely diverges from classic fair division rules, using sequential priorities. Moreover, we established that Abu Yusuf's distribution for a legal dispute is axiomatically identical to Abraham ibn Ezra's division rule.
Implications and Future Directions Our research underscores the importance of comprehensive studies on contentious disputes within Islamic law, and we call for a more extensive case collection process. Future research should concentrate on collating instances of fair division problems throughout Islamic history and collecting methods of Islamic sharing. By doing so, we can emphasize distinct Islamic principles and conduct exhaustive axiomatic evaluations of cases and proposed resolutions.
Interdisciplinary Impact Beyond academic circles, our research carries significant societal implications. It encourages a rejuvenated understanding of the evolution and interpretation of legal disputes within Islamic law. The axiomatic disparities we identified provide invaluable insights into sociocultural dynamics influencing legal decision-making. This research has the potential to shape legal discourse, guide policymaking, and foster scholarly, juristic, and societal dialogue.
Originality and Value To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to examine Islamic law's historical legal disputes from a game-theoretical standpoint. By incorporating disputes from Islamic law into the existing body of cooperative game theory literature, we aim to bridge a crucial gap and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of legal disputes in Islamic law.
I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported us on this journey. Please feel free to reach out if you're interested in learning more about our research or its implications. Let's continue to explore the fascinating intersection of game theory and Islamic law!
