A Holistic View of Legal Documentation from Shari'ah Perspective

Eddy Yusof, Ezry Fahmy (2009): A Holistic View of Legal Documentation from Shari'ah Perspective.

Abstract

The legal documentation having several features tends to make legal writing formal. This formality can take the form of long sentences, complex constructions, archaic and hyper-formal vocabulary, and a focus on content to the exclusion of reader needs. Some of this formality in legal writing is necessary and desirable, given the importance of some legal documents and the seriousness of the circumstances in which some legal documents are used. Yet not all formality in legal writing is justified in the Shariah point of view. It may sometimes to the extent that formality hinders reader comprehension, and do not reflect clear communication. This paper will explore some clauses of the legal documentation and analyze it check and balance from the Shariah perspective. In the second part of this paper, we will investigate some of controversial clauses that are deemed as prohibition elements. This paper conclude by proposing some suggestion in Islamizing the currently practice legal documentation in order to incorporate with the Shariah requirement.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Legal documentation, rights and liabilities, Shariah requirement, prohibitions in legal documentation.
• Subjects: K - Law and Economics > K4 - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior > K40 - General; G - Financial Economics > G1 - General Financial Markets > G18 - Government Policy and Regulation

References

AAOIFI Shari’a Standard. (2008). Shari’a Standard No.4, Settlement of Debts by Set-off. p.49

Bank Negara Malaysia. The Financial Sector Masterplan: Islamic banking and takaful. Chapter 5 p. 83.Reterived 13 September 2009, at http://www.bnm.gov.my.

Bank Negara Malaysia. (2009), Murabaha Paramater of BNM. Reterived 23 October 2009, at http://www.bnm.gov.my.

El-Gamal. M. (2008). Incoherence of Contract-Based Islamic Financial Jurisprudence in the Age of Financial Engineering. Wisconsin International Law Journal. 25(4).

Iraj. Toutochian. (2009). Islamic Money & Banking; Integrating Money in Capital Theory. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte. Ltd.

Mohd Daud Bakar. (2008). Contracts in Islamic Commercial Law and Their Application in Modern Islamic.

Muhammad Ayub. (2007). Understanding Islamic Finance, Singapore; John Wiley and Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd.

Nabil Saleh. (1990). Definition and Formation of Contract under Islamic and Arab Laws. Arab Law Quarterly. 5(2) p. 101-116.

Ng Boon Ka et al. (2009) Selected Shariah Committee Reports in Malaysia: A Critical Appraisal. INCEIF Working Paper. (Unpublished)

Nik Norzzrul et. al. (2003). Law and Practice of Islamic Banking and Finance. Malaysia:Sweet & Maxwell Asia.

Razli and Hasleeza (2007), Islamic Hire Purchase-Ijarah Thumma Al-Bai’ (AITAB):The Handbook. Late Charges. p.129

Saiful Azhar Rosly. (2005); Critical Issues on Islamic Banking & Financial Markets Malaysia; Dinamas Publishing.

Usmani, Muhammad Taqi. (2005). An introduction to Islamic finance. (Special ed.). Karachi, Pakistan: Maktaba Ma'ariful Qur'an.

Wahabah Al-Zuhaily. (2003). Financial Transactions In Islamic Jurisprudence (Mamoud A. Al-Gamal, trans.) Damascus: Dar al-Fikr.

Zaharuddin Abd Rahman. (2009). Money, You and Islam. Kuala Lumpur;True Wealth Sdn Bhd.