Saudi Mogul Gives Yale $10 Million for Islamic Law Studies

Yale University has received a $10-million donation from a Saudi businessman to establish a center for the study of Islamic law, the Associated Press reports.

University officials said the new Abdallah S. Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization reflects growing interest among institutions of higher education in Islamic history, culture, and jurisprudence.

Mr. Kamel is the chief executive of the Dallah Albaraka Group, a banking and real estate enterprise in Saudi Arabia. He has sponsored a Yale lecture series on Islamic law for the last three years. The center at Yale Law School will support research fellowships, a tenured professorship, and a rotation of visiting faculty.