Alnadwah
International Conference on Syariah, Law and Science (CFORSJ i-CONF)

THE ROLE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE IN DETERMINING THE AUTHENTICITY OF DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE TOWARDS STRENGTHENING ITS ACCEPTANCE UNDER THE MALAYSIAN SYARIAH COURTS

Date Published : 25 November 2024

Contributors

Mohamad Aniq Aiman Alias

Author

Wan Abdul Fattah Wan Ismail

Author

Ahmad Syukran Baharuddin

Author

Hasnizam Hashim

Author

Tuan Muhammad Faris Hamzi Tuan Ibrahim

Author

Keywords

Forensic science documentary evidence Syariah Courts document authenticity legal verification

Proceeding

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2024): CFORSJ Procedia

Track

Article

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Mohamad Aniq Aiman Alias; Wan Abdul Fattah Wan Ismail; Ahmad Syukran Baharuddin; Hasnizam Hashim; Tuan Muhammad Faris Hamzi Tuan Ibrahim;

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

In the contemporary digital era, Islamic legal institutions in Malaysia face significant challenges related to the authenticity and verification of documentary evidence, particularly with the increasing reliance on electronic documents. Conventional Islamic methods for determining document authenticities—such as al-iqrar (confession), al-syahadah (testimony), al-yamin (oath), and al-qarinah (circumstantial evidence)—are becoming less effective in addressing issues like document falsification and the submission of illegitimate evidence. This article examines forensic science's pivotal role in enhancing documentary evidence's reliability and legitimacy within the Malaysian Syariah Courts. It highlights Syariah law practitioners' limitations due to the absence of specific procedures for accepting scientific evidence and gaps in understanding forensic methodologies. The study underscores the necessity of establishing comprehensive guidelines and standard operating procedures by analyzing the impact of documentary doubts and advocating for the integration of forensic experts, cybersecurity authentication, and laboratory verification. Additionally, it recommends enhancing practitioner education and fostering collaboration with forensic institutions. These advancements aim to facilitate the effective incorporation of forensic science into Islamic legal practices, strengthening the acceptance and validity of electronic and modern forms of documentary evidence in Syariah judicial processes. Ultimately, this article demonstrates how embracing forensic science is essential for fortifying a robust and credible legal system within the framework of Malaysian Syariah law.

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How to Cite

Alias, M. A. A., Wan Ismail, W. A. F., Baharuddin, A. S. ., Hashim, H. ., & Tuan Ibrahim, T. M. F. H. (2024). THE ROLE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE IN DETERMINING THE AUTHENTICITY OF DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE TOWARDS STRENGTHENING ITS ACCEPTANCE UNDER THE MALAYSIAN SYARIAH COURTS. International Conference on Syariah, Law and Science (CFORSJ I-CONF), 2(1), 135-142. https://alnadwah.usim.edu.my/cforsjiconf/paper/view/84