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Dr. Rafidah is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Language, Civilisation and Philosophy, and a Certified Mediator (Advanced) with a focus on family dispute resolution. She received her academic training at the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, where she obtained both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Shari‘ah and Law, completing the latter in 2004. In 2014, she earned her Ph.D. in Islamic Family Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution from Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Her doctoral research focused on the application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), particularly family mediation and arbitration, in the context of matrimonial and family disputes. The study undertook a comparative legal analysis between Islamic law and English law on the use of ADR in resolving family conflicts. It explored how mediation and arbitration are practised by Shariah Councils in the United Kingdom, and examined the extent to which these mechanisms align with or diverge from both Islamic legal principles and the statutory and common law framework of English family law. The research further highlighted the potential of ADR as an alternative to formal court litigation in managing disputes related to marriage and divorce among Muslims in the UK.
Dr. Rafidah’s broader research interests include Islamic Family Law, Islamic Succession Law, the Administration of Islamic Law, and the Islamic Judiciary. Her scholarly work aims to integrate classical jurisprudential principles with contemporary legal and societal challenges, particularly in the regulation and reform of family law in Muslim contexts.
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