Perspectives on Islamic Law, Justice and Society

Abstract

This short, 207 page book is a refreshing overview of Islamic legal principles and new trends within Islamic societies. Though Islamic law has often been viewed as a sluggish monolith, it is actually a rather dynamic field. R.S. Khare has assembled a number of distinguished academics to discuss Islamic law, not as a homogenous entity, but rather in light of the reality: that Islamic law is multi-faceted, varied, highly regional and must be viewed in light of historical changes. Thus, this collection of essays focuses upon the manner in which Islamic law, as an organic law, is constantly reconciling historically changing socio-economic conditions with modernity and technology. The collection is organized in three parts. The first part outlines the concept oflslamic law, formal legal institutions and traditional .Islamic scholarship. The second portion of the book focuses on the regionalism of lslamic law and the manner in which the colonial period had a provocative impact upon the evolution and endurance of certain Islamic legal institutions. The final portion of the collection uses two interesting cases in which modernity and technology are problematizing and calling for a fundamental rethinking of seemingly "basic" principles. The unifying theme of the essays is the manner in which Islamic societies today are dealing with modernity and the manner in which technological advancements and global changes affect Islamic societies and concepts within Islamic law. Though at times the collection seems fragmented due to the different disciplines of the authors, this variety allows for a solid and nuanced understanding of the issues ...