L. Ali Khan initially trained as a civil engineer. He later switched to law, obtaining a law degree from Punjab University, Lahore. In 1976, Khan immigrated to the United States and studied law at New York University School of Law where he received his LL.M. and J.S.D. Khan is a member of the New York Bar. (Ali Khan is also known as Abu Kashif.) Khan has authored three academic books published in the prestigious series Developments in International Law. Over the years, he has written numerous law review articles on the U.S. constitution, comparative constitutional law, legal education, human rights, international disputes, and terrorism. His academic writings are used as part of course materials in universities across the world. Khan has devoted his academic scholarship to Islamic law and conflicts involving Muslim communities. Khan has participated in Islamic law symposia held at the law schools of Samford University, University of St. Thomas, Barry University, Michigan State University, and Brigham Young University—contributing ground-breaking articles on Islamic jurisprudence. In addition to law articles and academic books, Khan also writes for the popular press in the United States, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. His legal and foreign affairs commentaries are published worldwide and international media seek his comments on world events.
Articles
Jurodynamics of Islamic Law, Rutgers Law Review (2009)
Abrogation is a classical concept of Islamic law, which allows jurists to organize the normative...
The Immutability of Divine Texts, Brigham Young University Law Review (2008)
Divine texts are universal and timeless. They continue to guide communities and generations across the...
An Islamic View of the Battlefield, Barry Law Review (2006)
Islam rejects all conceptions of holy war. Muslims are not allowed to engage in any...
Free Markets of Islamic Jurisprudence, Michigan State Law Review (2006)
This Article examines both internal and external scholarships and their respective contributions to the fiqh...
The Essentialist Terrorist, Washburn Law Journal (2005)
There is a coordianted effort on part of academics, scholars, think-tankers, journalists and others to...
Books
A Theory of International Terrorism: Understanding Islamic Militancy (2006)
A Theory of International Terrorism studies Islamic militancy in the geopolitical contexts of Chechnya, Kashmir,...
A Theory of Universal Democracy: Beyond the End of History (2003)
Democracy is often associated with Western liberal values, such as free markets, individual rights and...
The Extinction of Nation-States: A World without Borders (1996)
This work explores whether the nation-state is a useful concept under contemporary international law. It...
Ghunghru (Urdu) (1975)
Thirty years ago, during the mid-seventies, when I was studying law in Pakistan, I wrote...
Ghantian (Urdu) (1974)
The Bells are stories of relationships. Written in complex metaphorical and hidden language, each story...
Contributions to Books
Commentary on the Constitution of Medina, Understanding Islamic Law (2006)
The first Islamic state was founded not in the shadow of swords, as is commonly...
Legal Scholarship as an Act of Discovery, Legal Education for the 21st Century (1999)
In the present age of depth and legal superstitions, traditional legal scholarship confined to judicial...
Popular Press
The Futility of Pakistan's 18th Amendment, Media with Conscience (2008)
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will soon propose to the Parliament the 18th amendment to...
A Lawyers' Mutiny in Pakistan, Jurist (2007)
The CJP’s suspension is indeed the most critical constitutional issue. Article 209 empowers the President...
The Pakistan Chief Justice Story: A Personal Narrative, JURIST (2007)
On March 9, 2007, I was visiting with a Pakistan Supreme Court Justice in Islamabad...
Combating Defamation of Religions, The American Muslim (2007)
The idea of combating the defamation of religions, though morally sound, is difficult from a...
THe Veil and the British Male Elite, Baltimore Chronicle and Sentinel (2006)
All over the world, the law permits employers to impose reasonable grooming standards on employees....