One out of five people in the world today lives subject to Islamic law, but stereotypes of rigid doctrine or harsh punishment obscure an understanding of the values and style of reasoning that characterize everyday lslamic adjudication. By considering its larger social and cultural context Islamic law is shown to be a kind of common law system: justice is sought through a careful assessment of persons, more than facts, and justice resides not in equality but in a quest for equivalence. Through ordinary court proceedings the style of reasoning is seen to be embedded in a set of cultural assumptions, thus rendering the study of Islamic legal proceedings a window on Muslim society generally. Using data ranging from the courts of North Africa to the treatment of Islam in American courts, from a reinterpretation of the Prophet's sociological jurisprudence to the analysis of Islamic concepts of responsibility and trust these essays demonstrate the enduring appeal of Islamic law in the lives of everyday adherents.

About the Author
Lawrence Rosen is Professor and Chair of Anthropology at Princeton University

Reviews
... offers an intriguing and thought-provoking review of Islamic law for anyone concerned with law in a global age. * Journal of Law and Society, volume 28 number 4 (2001) *
outstanding book on Islamic Shari'a...valuable for students and scholars of Middle Eastern studies, law and hisoty. * Disclosure Issue 5 December 2000 *
sub-titled Comparative Perspectives on Islamic Law and Society, ... is a bold claim, ... but amply justified in the extensively researched, closely argued and highly informative material that is evident throughout. * Ramnick Shah, New Law Journal *
it is in the field of daily adjudication, by way of application of Islam law, that we need a guide such as this, to understand how religious rituals and beliefs dominate the lives of individuals in Islamic societies. The book serves this purpose admirably. * Ramnick Shah, New Law Journal. *
For the serious reader, there is much to occupy and engage, but at the same time there is a lighter side too. * Ramnick Shah, New Law Journal. *
it will serve as a necessary tool to understanding one-fifth of humanity who are caught between the forces of tradition and change in a vast, global community. * Ramnick Shah, New Law Journal. *
a contextual analysis of islamic law rather than abstract and superficial description. * Dr A Wardak, University of Glamorgan *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198298847
Author Lawrence Rosen
Format Hardback
Page Count 248
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 505g
Dimensions(mm) 242mm * 161mm * 20mm