Islamic Law in South Asia

Abstract

This article examines Islamic law in South Asia as a testament to the wide diversity of both Muslims and non-Muslims in the region. The article discusses several different Islamic trajectories in South Asia, with emphasis on Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. These different national contexts demonstrate how the practice of Islamic law in South Asia can be of significance for Muslims worldwide, whether in contexts where Muslims comprise an overwhelming majority of a nation’s population (like Pakistan), or where they live along aside a sizeable non-Muslim minority (such as Bangladesh), or where Muslims form a significant minority population (as in India). This article also discusses sectarian diversity in South Asian Islamic law, from historical and contemporary perspectives, and how this sectarian diversity has deeply influenced the development of Islamic law in South Asia. Finally, this article considers sub-national diversity in South Asian Islamic law as a key area of future research.