PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Ismail Abu Suwaid in Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence

Mr. Ismail Musleh Saeed Abu Suwaid was awarded a PhD degree in Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence and Hadith for his dissertation titled: Constants and Variables in Political and Administrative System in Light of Islamic Sharia Objectives: A Comparative Jurisprudential Study, which was submitted to the Department of Islamic Sharia, Faculty of Sharia and Law–Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

# Committee Members Designation Position
1 Assoc. Prof. Mohammed Shawqi Nasser Abdullah External Examiner Chair
2 Prof. Hassan Salem Muqbil Ahmed Al-Dawsi Main Supervisor Member
3 Dr. Mohammed Saad Yahya Najad Internal Examiner Member

The dissertation aimed to:
 Clarify the concepts of constants and variables and examine their relationship to the political and administrative system and the evolution of legal rulings.
 Identify the characteristics of constants and variables and highlight the importance of distinguishing between them.
 Examine the discretionary actions of those responsible for political and administrative governance.
 Define the limits and scope of such actions in matters where no explicit textual ruling exists or where existing texts allow for adaptation and change.
The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:
 The nature of the political and administrative system in Islam can be understood through the concept of Sharia-based governance (Al-siyasah Al-shariyyah).
 The distinction between definitive and speculative evidence remains one of the central issues in Islamic legal theory. The study reaffirmed the jurisprudential principle that “legal rulings may change with changing times,” emphasizing that rulers and administrators should take changing realities into account when addressing emerging issues.
 The research identified the boundaries and domains of administrative and political decision-making, as well as the constants and variables related to governance, the structure of the state, the relationship between the political system and the nation, the rights of the public vis-à-vis authority, and the safeguards governing political and administrative practice.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:
 Encouraging scholars, jurists, and researchers to enrich foundational literature on Islamic governance and political and administrative systems, and to apply these principles to contemporary realities.
 Establishing specialized research centers dedicated to the objectives of Islamic Sharia and Sharia-based governance to address emerging issues and serve as scientific references for policymakers and administrators.
 Strengthening oversight mechanisms through the establishment of higher supervisory bodies to review political and administrative decisions and actions before and after their implementation, ensuring that both constants and variables are addressed in accordance with the objectives and principles of Islamic Sharia.
The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and specialists, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.