Introduction

Abstract

AbstractHow do Islamic law states prefer to resolve their international disputes? Is it possible to identify general patterns that apply to all these states? Why are only some Islamic law states open to using international courts in attempting to solve their interstate disputes? A common Western attitude toward Islam has often served to create the assumption of a massive dichotomy between the Islamic legal tradition and international law across the entire Islamic milieu, projecting a continuing divergence between the two legal systems. Chapter 1 discusses the importance of understanding the Islamic milieu’s preferences with respect to international conflict management venues. It presents a short version of the Islamic theory of peaceful resolution (fully presented later in chapter 4) and discusses the broader significance of the project, locating it within the broader scholarly literature of interstate dispute resolution.