The Protection of Intellectual Property Under Islamic Law

Abstract

This article examines the extent to which traditional Islamic law (sharia) affects the ability of Islamic states to protect intellectual property. The article includes a brief introduction to some of the basic principles of Islamic law and then applies them to general standards of intellectual property protection. It then uses Egyptian law to illustrate how one Islamic country implemented basic intellectual property protections (as of 1992).

Keywords: islam, sharia, intellectual property, copyright, patent, international law, comparative law

JEL Classification: K00