Practicing on Faith

Opening Statements

March 2008 Issue
By Jill Schachner Chanen

Rima Kapitan, Maryam Khan, Janaan Hashim,
Majdel Musa, Nikia Bilal. Photo by Callie Lipkin

In an unassuming office park in a quiet Chicago suburb, six lawyers are planning a revolution. The six are American women of the Muslim faith, and they have started what they believe is a first-of-its-kind law firm. They hope to change the way others think about their religion and culture, as well as the way law can be practiced.

“The pictures you see in the media of Muslim women are of very shrouded, very oppressed women,” says Janaan Hashim. “That is not us ... not what our faith advocates. We have a great opportunity to overcome the odds in a very pluralistic, very accepting society.”

Launched last fall, the Amal Law Group in Palos Heights, Ill., is named after the Arabic word for hope, the partners say. The firm represents their hope for themselves and their community. “Today the word Muslim has a very negative connotation, and we are trying to overcome that,” Hashim says.

Much like the varied ethnicities of Amal’s partners, a variety of matters are handled by the firm, including criminal defense and business law. While they don’t exclusively cater to Muslims, the partners say their combined knowledge of American jurisprudence and Islamic law and culture has created a demand for their services in their growing Muslim community.

“If clients have the option to do it in a Shariah-compliant manner, they want it,” say Maryam Khan. Shariah combines legal principles derived from the Quran, the teachings of Muhammad and interpretations of those teachings by Islamic jurisprudential scholars. It’s perhaps most recognizable as a factor in financial transactions because Islam prohibits charging interest, but the Amal women apply Shariah more often in family law situations, like drafting estate planning documents recognized under Islamic and Illinois law.

Sharing a religious connection not only brings in this business but eases workplace pressures. Majdel Musa points out that they can maintain their cultural identity without worrying about drinking alcohol at social events or dressing a certain way. Indeed, four of the six wear traditional Muslim headscarves.

And they are striving to break down another workplace barrier: creating a flexible, family-friendly environment. Children are welcome and can often be found in the office (five of the six lawyers are mothers). All six are free to maintain their own hours and work where they are most effective, be it telecommuting at midnight or working 9 to 5.

“We feel no pressure to conform to anyone’s ideal of a lawyer,” Musa says.

Except, of course, their own.

Comments

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Posted by Mohd Hasan - Mar 5, 2008 08:17 am CDT

I’m very happy for Amal Law Group.
I wish you All Success.
Allah Bless You.
Posted by Shahed - Mar 5, 2008 04:25 pm CDT

GO AMAL LAW GROUP!!!
allah bless you!
Posted by Asal Sedghi - Mar 6, 2008 05:41 pm CDT

Very inspiring story. I hope that other muslim professionals will follow your example.
Posted by Lubna Qazi-Chowdhry - Mar 7, 2008 03:12 pm CDT

Wish you all success- it is so inspiring and wonderful to see a the legal arena becoming more and more diverse and in so many different ways! I hope all of you realize what an admirable path you are paving.
Posted by Rick Horowitz - Mar 14, 2008 11:53 am CDT

This is a great idea and I wish you the best of success. Hopefully, you will be able to change some people’s impressions and raise consciousness about and hope for diversity in America.
Posted by F. Shaikh - Mar 16, 2008 02:35 am CDT

Wow!! Congratulations to all six of you. I hope that other women are inspired by your accomplishments.
Posted by Susan Yates - Mar 17, 2008 03:30 pm CDT

This article made my day. I wish this firm all the success in the world. These women are inspiring as they pave new paths.
Posted by John Holt - Mar 20, 2008 04:28 pm CDT

Good luck with your new firm. I hope you can take the time to educate American lawyers on the muslim faith and islamic law.
Posted by naima - Mar 24, 2008 04:21 pm CDT

this is the coolest thing ever. I wish I can come shadow your firm sometime in the future. I can learn so much from you six wonderful role models for muslim young women thinking about a profession in the law