Perspectives on Islamic Law, Justice and Society

Abstract

This short, 207 page book is a refreshing overview of Islamic legal principlesand new trends within Islamic societies. Though Islamic law has oftenbeen viewed as a sluggish monolith, it is actually a rather dynamic field.R.S. Khare has assembled a number of distinguished academics to discussIslamic law, not as a homogenous entity, but rather in light of the reality:that Islamic law is multi-faceted, varied, highly regional and must beviewed in light of historical changes.Thus, this collection of essays focuses upon the manner in whichIslamic law, as an organic law, is constantly reconciling historically changingsocio-economic conditions with modernity and technology. The collectionis organized in three parts. The first part outlines the concept oflslamiclaw, formal legal institutions and traditional .Islamic scholarship. The secondportion of the book focuses on the regionalism of lslamic law and themanner in which the colonial period had a provocative impact upon theevolution and endurance of certain Islamic legal institutions. The final portionof the collection uses two interesting cases in which modernity andtechnology are problematizing and calling for a fundamental rethinking ofseemingly "basic" principles.The unifying theme of the essays is the manner in which Islamic societiestoday are dealing with modernity and the manner in which technologicaladvancements and global changes affect Islamic societies and conceptswithin Islamic law. Though at times the collection seems fragmented due tothe different disciplines of the authors, this variety allows for a solid andnuanced understanding of the issues ...