Perspectives on Islamic Law, Justice and Society By R .S Khare, ed (Lanham, MD: Roman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1999. 207 pages.)

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 ...