Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 8(9) June 2014, Pages: 249-256 AENSI Journals Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences ISSN:1991-8178 Journal home page: www.ajbasweb.com Corresponding Author: Aishat Abdul-Qadir Zubair, International Islamic University Malaysia, Postgraduate & Research, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, 53100 Selangor. Malaysia. Tel: 601121274372; E-mail: ayyeesha@gmail.com The Role of Comparative Legal Research in The Development of Law Aishat Abdul-Qadir Zubair Postgraduate Researcher, International Islamic University Malaysia, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, 53100 Selangor. Malaysia. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Received 2 March 2014 Received in revised form 13 May 2014 Accepted 28 May 2014 Available online 23 June 2014 Keywords: Comparative Legal Research, Development of Law, Law Reform, Commercial Law. Background: Comparative legal research is a field of law that has been abandoned over the decades for its lack of popularity as a concept due to the many controversies and criticisms surrounding it. It is a field of study that is only recently gaining footing in the legal profession with its recent resurgence and awakening of legal scholars and student to the fact that it may have some importance after all. Objective: This article therefore aims to show how comparative legal research has influenced the development of law from time immemorial to the present time and see how it will continue to do so in the future despite the pitiable situation it is in presently. It is also the aim of this article to show the efforts made by comparatists in making sure that laws are in conformity with the advancement in development around the globe by its main function of law reform especially in this era of globalization. The article, while concentrating on the impact comparative legal research has had on the development of law with special reference to law reforms in some modern nations, also analysis the manners in which comparative legal research has been used to solve some international dispute on commercial law when they arise. Results: The result of this research shows amongst others: that one of the aims of comparative legal research is to find solutions to a specific problem in a legal system by comparing with other legal systems having a similar problem or condition; that the methods used in comparative legal research are not original to the discipline and there is no one single method generally accepted by all comparatists; and that the concept of comparative legal research helps the law makers in solving quite a number of problems faced in the process of law making.. Conclusion: The article concludes that legislation and law reform are the main purpose of comparative legal research. © 2014 AENSI Publisher All rights reserved. To Cite This Article: Aishat Abdul-Qadir Zubair., The Role of Comparative Legal Research in The Development of Law. Aust. J. Basic & Appl. Sci., 8(9): 249-256, 2014 INTRODUCTION Over the years comparative legal research has been fighting for recognition. Some scholars regard the study as a fruitless and useless effort and have likened those who embark on the study as restless wanton bees on a fruitless journey. Comparative law has also been termed as “an amusing puzzle providing an opportunity to satisfy idle curiosity” (Rahmatullah, 1971). This can be said to have accounted for it slow development over the years. More so, the study itself has not helped the situation as there continue to exist a number of confusion and criticism here and there even among its scholars for example, comparative law has always been subject to competing claims of authorities in setting appropriate boundaries for its study. For this reason, comparative legal research have not been seen to serve any meaningful purpose to the law itself not to talk of its development, if anything, it is believed that it had in fact contributed to the controversies surrounding the discipline of law. However, comparative law is slowly beginning to emerge from the mists of misunderstanding and prejudice in which it has for so long been enveloped haven undergone so many facets and levels, it is now being regarded in many quarters as a distinct discipline (Gutteridge, 1946). There is therefore a need to understand the purpose comparative legal research is serving. Answers should thus be provided to some important questions such as how comparative legal research should be carried out? How the foundational concepts of comparative legal research have been applied to solve some major problems encountered in the formation and reformation of law? In what ways the conceptual tools of comparative legal research has been used to solve and analyse comparative law issues when they arise in commercial law? Has comparative legal research affected Islamic legal system in any way? In order to provide answers to the above questions and some many more that might be troubling the minds of many comparative law students as well as to fully and effectively deal with this topic, the article has been divided into two main parts. The first part deals with the concept of comparative legal research and the different