Dr Ali Ali

Dr Ali’s teaching and research focus on Islamic jurisprudence, with particular attention to legal theory, family law, contract law, and the contemporary application of Sharia in global legal, economic, and social contexts.  Prior to entering academia, Dr Ali trained as an engineer and received a BEng in Telecommunications Engineering from South Bank University in London. He worked as an engineer for several years in Sudan before returning to London to complete an undergraduate certificate in Economics at Birkbeck, University of London. He also holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge, where his research explored the role of Islamic jurisprudence in finance and development in the Muslim world. He subsequently completed his PhD in Law and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London. His doctoral research examined the concept of certainty in Islamic legal theory and its implications for Sharia and Islamic finance law.  At SOAS, Dr Ali teaches Islamic Legal Theory and Islamic Family Law. His teaching engages with both classical Islamic legal texts and contemporary debates, with a particular focus on legal interpretation, reform, and the relationship between Islamic law and the challenges of modernity. His research includes work on Islamic philosophy and legal theory, contract law, and legal interpretation. In addition to his academic work, Dr Ali has published commentary in Arabic and English on issues relating to Islamic law, reform, and global affairs.