Mediation in Islam

Alternative dispute resolution procedures are a way of settling disputes out of court. Such resolutions include arbitration and negotiation. Mediation is also one of the types of alternative dispute resolutions available today. Here, the parties to a suit meet with a neutral third-party, called a mediator, to try and find a mutually acceptable resolution to settle the case. This is available in Islamic law as well. Islamic mediation, or Wasaatah, is well established today. A verse from the Qur'an which is about the process of mediation in a family dispute is Al-Nisaa 4: 35, which says, "If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: For Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things." This paper is going to analyse the concept of mediation from Islamic perspective and its application in Malaysian context.