In 1989, though, he said that the origins of the Christian medieval doctorate ("licentia docendi") date to the ijāzah al-tadrīs wa al-iftā''' ("license to teach and issue legal opinions") in the medieval Islamic legal education system. Makdisi proposed that the ijazat attadris was the origin of the European doctorate, and went further in suggesting an influence upon the magisterium of the Christian Church. According to the 1989 paper, the ijazat was equivalent to the Doctor of Laws qualification and was developed during the ninth century after the formation of the Madh'hab legal schools.
In 1989, he claimed that the origins of the Christian medieval doctorate ("licentia docendi") can be traced back to the ijāzah al-tadrīs wa al-iftā''' in the medieval Islamic legal education system. Makdisi argued that this ijazat attadris was the precursor to the European doctorate and posited an influence on the Christian Church's magisterium. The 1989 paper indicated that the ijazat was equivalent to the Doctor of Laws qualification, developing during the ninth century after the formation of Madh'hab legal schools.