Oxford Islam & Justice Seminar: Islam and Natural Law

The Oxford Islam and Justice Programme aims to provide a grounding in the academic and debates about the relationship between Islamic views of justice and the modern political order. This is the second seminar of Trinity Term 2025, with associated short pre-readings, and is taught by leading academic in the field Dr Ramon Harvey. The theme for this week's lecture is Islam and Natural Law.

In this Trinity Term 2025 series we are exploring some of the deepest questions about Islam and political justice, including the ideas of political liberalism, natural law, statecraft, political theology, and 'secularism'. In all cases, we aim to expose students to a variety of competing perspectives that are grounded in the Islamic tradition. Recommended readings are provided for each seminar; completing at least the core readings beforehand will provide the richest possible learning experience. Additional, optional readings are provided for students who want to explore topics in greater depth.