Editorial Comments

This edition of the Journal of Islamic State Practices in International Law addresses a number of particularly topical subjects. Initially, one of our Editors, Dr. Amir Ali Majid, shares his thoughts on and analysis of the controversial arrest of the Pakistani students suspected of terrorist offences in April 2009, and their subsequent release without charge.

            The contribution from Prof. Kaiyan H Kaikobad of Brunel University, considers the impact of Pathan tribalism on the radicalisation of Afghanistan and Pakistan and how this relates to the war-on-terror. In addition to addressing the origins of Pathan Tribalism and misconceptions in relation to feudalism, Prof. Kaikobad elaborates upon the legality of the invasion of the Afghanistan, on the basis of the complicity of these tribes in terror attacks in the West.

            Nisrine Abiad considers the role of the Courts in Islamic States in relation to the application of International Human Rights standards. As well as providing a comprehensive overview of the Court system in a number of Islamic States, varying from the secular courts of Turkey to the Sharia Courts of Saudi Arabia, Abiad establishes that it is possible to protect international human rights standards while also applying Sharia.

            Abdullah Wahib AlLami in our final article addresses the original area of Zakat as a system of taxation in Saudi Arabia. AlLami, while providing a comprehensive overview of Zakat and establishing that it is a form of taxation as opposed to charity, goes on to consider the functioning of the Department of Zakat and Income Tax in Saudi Arabia and how its efficiency can be improved.

Professor Javaid Rehman, Dr Amir Ali Majid and Professor Kaiyan Kaikobad

Editors, Journal of Islamic State Practice in International Law (JISPIL)

http://www.electronicpublications.org/catalogue.php?id=46