Umm Al-Qura University
A brief overview of the Regulations Department
This department is the fruit of the praiseworthy efforts of His Eminence, Prof. Saud bin Ibrahim Al-Shuraim, may Allah safeguard and bless him, who took pains to initiate the idea of creating a new college to be added to the colleges of Umm Al-Qura University. This new college is concerned with studying the Saudi Arabian regulations that have the advantage, over all countries of the world, of the application of the glorious Islamic Shari`ah. This college was not intended to be like other colleges that specialize in only studying regulations. The learner of Shari`ah Law alone is not typically familiar with the regulations that govern them; ones they even apply to judge cases if they take the office of judge. A learner of regulations alone may not understand the wisdom behind verdicts; it is therefore incumbent to prepare those who study both branches to combine the study of both of them to the extent that no one in the modern age lacks knowledge of either. So, the construction of a college that combines both streams took place, and it developed into a fully fledged educational edifice that attracted the admiration of all those who saw it or heard about it. The admiration of those who study in it is even greater.
The global concern with the regulations specialty is now taking a different turn from what it used to be in the past. It is a trend that has started to spread and penetrate into contemporary societies without the possibility of dispensing with it. Therefore, there is no room to advocate a boycott of it or refrain from it out of dislike or baseless fears of consequences that materialize only in the minds of those who deem it worthless. They hold as valuable what they adhere to and are not ready to give it up, thinking that it is suffering the risk of being outdated, becoming obsolete and is therefore going to give way for a replacement. If they think a bit prudently and do not rush, they would be sure that this is not a substitution, much as it is keeping pace with modern developments. There is no dispensing with any of the constants of the Shari`ah principles of which we are proud, one we take pride in belonging to, and one that constituted the foundations of this blessed country.
Consequently, this modern but deep-rooted department was established. It was established in parallel with the establishment of this college, i.e., the College of Judicial Studies and Regulations. This was in the year 1432-1433 A.H. The Regulations Department, side by side with the Judicial Studies Department, is a clear embodiment of the goal for which the college was established, as mentioned above. The supreme goal is to teach regulations side by side with the Shari`ah so that one of them does not become independent from the other or that interest in one of them is completely far from that in the other, as is the case of many institutes whose existence was the most important reason behind the establishment of this department.
By combining the study of Shari`ah and the regulations, there will be graduates who master, or almost master, both. It goes without saying that man is an enemy of what he does not know. If they learn for themselves or are taught by others, they will not be hostile anymore. The application of this view was intended to have prudent graduates who have knowledge of regulations, in addition to knowing the legislation, and can thus fathom the end objectives and their far-reaching roots. These are ones who can explain the reasons for difference when there is no room to reconcile it. This department was established to achieve this goal in the Saudi community as regards the two specializations. The department was, and still is, providing the Shari`ah and regulation studies for the learners in the two sections (male and female students) until the number of graduates reached 491 male and female students: 329 male graduates, and 162 female graduates.
Since its inception, the department has been keen to strive to achieve the vision for which it was established. This was evident in the allocation of academic hours that are appropriate for the Shari`ah and regulation sections respectively, which exceed the hours of study in corresponding colleges. The curricula of this department are carefully selected, and course specifications are prepared by specialists of the two streams with clarity of vision. After the course specifications were made, the material was meticulously peer-reviewed. The department officials spared no effort to constantly develop these courses and improve them until the fruit came out better than hoped, which was remarkable according to the studied proposed calculations.
Allah, the Almighty, opened up to the graduates of this department doors of opportunities they never dreamed of. They delved deep in society and managed to contribute to solving its problems. Their efforts emanated from their deeply founded knowledge of regulations that are indispensable to any society. The department was keen, and still is, to make sure that its graduates are distinguished. They have been selected from large numbers of applicants who applied to study in it. The department has been strict in setting many terms of joining for the applicants to be admitted, in order to bring to society graduates who possess the characteristics of a good and beneficial citizen of both sexes.
These efforts were not limited to the bachelor’s degree. The department has been pioneering its counterpart departments in all respects. Despite its recent existence, the department is now surpassing all expectations. By the grace Allah, it now provides very successful postgraduate programs. It has a master's program on which work began more than four years ago by teaching Shari`ah and regulations with a well-thought-out and peer-reviewed plan. This was not limited to male students only. There are female students who have registered for a master’s degree in the department as well, which attests to the keenness of the department and its perseverance in achieving the set goals and fulfilling its objectives.
In addition, the department officials spared no effort to approve a strong doctoral program; it formed committees that chose the courses and others that prepared specifications for the selected courses, consulting people of experience and excellence so that only what is useful and necessary is approved. These efforts culminated in the approval of the program after stages of improvement and revision.
The department also sought to have a distinguished program to train graduates in practicing law. The program targeted those working in the profession and those wishing to practice it from graduates of Shari`ah colleges in the Kingdom. This was in a whole year with 15 hours in two full semesters. The department graduated more than three classes in this program, who received training at the hands of a distinguished group of professors of law and jurisprudence in the department.
The department also sought to have a distinguished program targeting various groups. It is a diploma of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, from which close to one hundred members of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (now the Public Prosecution) benefited. It has now been developed to target sectors other than the members of the Public Prosecution Office. The study of this program continues for a full year, in which the applicant studies 30 hours of Shari`ah and law at the hands of a distinguished and elite teaching staff.
Finally, it is truly said that this department was born a giant. If this is the case with its birth, its outcomes will far exceed all expectations.
