Call for Papers: NUSRL Ranchi’s Book on Muslim Laws; Submit by Nov 25

The National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi announced a NUSRL Ranchi Call for Papers for an authoritative edited book titled Muslim Laws in Contemporary Indian Society with an assigned ISBN. This academic publication invites legal scholars, university faculties, practitioners, and research scholars to submit original research papers examining the interaction between personal laws, constitutional guarantees, gender justice, and contemporary legislative reforms in India.

1. Academic Context and Objectives of the Edited Volume

Personal laws in India occupy a central position in contemporary socio-legal discourse, reflecting the delicate intersection between freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution and egalitarian rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, and 21. As tracked across academic platforms and law school news and publication calls, the National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi initiated this volume to provide a rigorous scholarly forum for examining the socio-legal dimensions of Islamic jurisprudence in modern India.

The publication aims to encourage substantive legal research on personal laws in India by bringing together multi-disciplinary insights from distinguished academics, judicial officers, and legal practitioners. The resulting peer-reviewed volume will be assigned an official ISBN and archived across leading university law libraries to serve as an enduring reference for students, legal researchers, and policymakers.

Through this initiative, NUSRL Ranchi seeks to cultivate analytical scholarship that bridges classical doctrinal sources with the socio-economic realities of modern India. Contributors are encouraged to examine how statutory enactments such as the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, and the Waqf Act, 1995 interact with traditional personal law jurisprudence.

2. Major Research Themes and Core Sub-Themes

Contributors are invited to develop analytical, critical, and comparative papers addressing a broad range of thematic areas within Muslim personal law research paper frameworks:

• Muslim Customs and the Indian Constitution: Constitutional compatibility of customary practices, judicial review of personal laws, and the harmonious balance between religious autonomy and fundamental human rights guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution.
• Shariat Principles and Jurisprudential Schools (Firq): Historical evolution of classical Sunni (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali) and Shia (Jafari, Zaidi, Ismaili) jurisprudence and their modern statutory applications across diverse regional jurisdictions in India.
• Marital Obligations and Matrimonial Rights: Rights and duties of spouses, restitution of conjugal rights, validity of marriage conditions, nikahnama stipulations, and institutional mechanisms for matrimonial dispute resolution.
• Dissolution of Marriage and Contemporary Consequences: Judicial evolution of Talaq forms (Talaq-e-Ahsan, Talaq-e-Hasan, Talaq-e-Biddat), Khula, Mubarat, judicial divorce under statutory provisions, and post-divorce economic safeguards for former spouses.
• Right to Maintenance of Muslim Wives and Divorcees: Statutory claims under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, application of special personal law enactments, and landmark judicial pronouncements protecting destitute women from economic abandonment.
• Succession, Inheritance, and the Rights of Women: Principles of testamentary and non-testamentary succession, Quranic shares (Sharers), residuary rights (Residuaries), distant kindred, and critical evaluations of gender equity in estate administration.
• Property Disposition (Hiba, Mehar, Wasiyat, Zakat, and Sadaqa): Legal rules governing inter-vivos gifts (Hiba) and mandatory delivery of possession, prompt and deferred dower (Mehar), testamentary limits on wills (Wasiyat) restricted to one-third of the net estate, and charitable dispositions.
• Economic Policies and Administration under Waqf: Management of public and private Waqf properties, regulatory governance under the Central Waqf Act, powers of State Waqf Boards, dispute resolution by Waqf Tribunals, and the socio-economic utilization of community endowments.

3. Contemporary Legal Debates and Conflict of Personal Laws

In addition to foundational principles of Muslim Laws in Contemporary Indian Society, the volume invites critical engagement with sensitive and evolving public policy questions:

1. Uniform Civil Code and Muslim personal law: Analytical perspectives on Article 44 of the Directive Principles of State Policy, exploring regional models, diversity protection, gender equality, and statutory codification debates.
2. Legal Status and Scope of Fatwas: Analysis of non-binding religious advisory opinions and their standing before constitutional courts under established judicial precedent, emphasizing individual liberty and rule of law.
3. Personal Autonomy and Family Planning: Socio-legal examinations of reproductive choices, healthcare rights, and demographic welfare policies in light of Islamic ethical principles and state population measures.
4. Religious Freedom, Dress Codes, and Secular Spaces: Constitutional scrutiny regarding the regulation of religious attire, personal identity, and expressions in educational and civic institutions under Article 25.
5. State Regulation, Subsidies, and Civic Policies: Judicial analysis of state involvement in pilgrimage administration, slaughter regulations, and statutory welfare measures under constitutional parameters.

Scholars examining these themes often analyze relevant judicial precedents on personal law rights to assess how appellate courts balance individual constitutional protections against personal law traditions.

4. Submission Guidelines and Formatting Standards

Prospective authors are requested to adhere strictly to the academic formatting standards established by the NUSRL Ranchi Editorial Board:

• Manuscript Formatting: Submissions must be neatly typed on one side of standard A4 paper with double spacing throughout. The main body text must be in Times New Roman, font size 12. Footnotes must be formatted in font size 10 in standard legal citation style (such as the Bluebook or Indian Law Institute format).
• Originality and Plagiarism Standards: Submissions must be original, unpublished works free of plagiarism. Every manuscript undergoes screening, and the Editorial Board reserves the right to suggest revisions or reject non-compliant submissions prior to publication.
• Remuneration and Author Copies: While no monetary remuneration is paid to contributors, each published author receives a complimentary author copy of the printed ISBN book, and complimentary copies are deposited across leading university law libraries in India.
• Submission Channels: Research papers, abstracts, and author queries should be submitted via email to the designated editorial coordinators at akgalok@gmail.com and ppmitra1977@yahoo.com (Contact Phone: 08809294849).

5. Scholarly Significance for Indian Jurisprudence

Academic research initiatives such as this edited volume from NUSRL Ranchi play an essential role in advancing legal scholarship on family law, religious freedom, and human rights. By providing a structured platform for rigorous academic inquiry, the publication bridges the gap between traditional legal doctrines and contemporary constitutional expectations, contributing meaningfully to the evolving jurisprudence of personal laws in India.

Researchers, legal academics, and postgraduate scholars are encouraged to submit their manuscripts within the specified timeline to participate in this seminal academic contribution to Indian legal scholarship.