Islamic Law: The Sharia from Muhammad's Time to the Present »

Hunt Janin is an American writer and retired diplomat specializing in international issues and history. He is the author of Claiming the American Wilderness (2006), The Pursuit of Learning in the Islamic World, 610 (2005), Medieval Justice (2004), Four Paths to Jerusalem (2002), Fort Bridger, Wyoming (2001) and The India-China Opium Trade in the Nineteenth Century (1999). A native Californian, he lives in St. Urcisse, France. André Kahlmeyer has a MA degree in Middle Eastern studies and has studied, traveled, worked, and learned Arabic in the Middle East. He now focuses on Middle Eastern issues as a member of an international organization based in Belguim.

The sharia is a set of traditional laws that define a Muslim's obligations to God and his fellow human beings. Westerners often misunderstand the nature of the sharia, born as it is of a complicated legal and academic tradition that may not always seem relevant to today's world. Written for those unfamiliar with Islam, this volume provides an accurate and objective assessment of the sharia's achievements, shortcomings and future prospects. It explores the fundamentals of Islam and traditional sharia laws. In addition, the sharia is discussed with respect to Ottoman law, puritanism and jihad. The sharia's relevance to today's world events is also explored. Among items provided in appendices are a commentary on a Western translation of the concept of jihad and an analysis of the sharia in 29 selected countries.

Acknowledgments     v
Introduction     1
Fundamentals of Islam     9
Traditional Sharia Law: Obligations to God and to Fellow Human Beings     28
The Sharia and Its Jurists: From the Beginnings to al-Shatibi's Legal Reforms     48
Ottoman Law in the Golden Age of the Empire: Suleyman the Magnificent     81
The Sharia Under Wahhabi Puritanism and Incursions by the West     88
The Sharia and Jihad     105
The Sharia in the World Today     130
Islamic Banking     170
The Future of Islamic Law: Reform or Retrenchment?     175
Al-Shafi'i's Views on Legal Knowledge     179
Translating the Concept of Jihad     181
The Sharia in 29 Selected Countries Today     182
Selected Chronology, c. 570-2001     183
Glossary     187
Chapter Notes     191
Bibliography     199
Index     205