Roman, Provincial and Islamic Law: The Origins of the Islamic Patronate

Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization

by Patricia Crone

This book examines the cultural origins of Islamic law. Some authorities stress the importance of the contribution of Roman law; others that of Arabian law. Most are agreed that Jewish law contributed, but not explained further. Dr Crone tests the Roman hypothesis with reference to one institution, the patronate, which does indeed appear to owe something to Roman law. She concludes that Roman law contributed only in so far as it was part and parcel of the rather different legal practice of the Near Eastern provinces, and that provincial law would repay further consideration by legal historians.

Genres: Islam, History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 1987

About the author

Patricia Crone was Professor Emerita in the School of Historical Studies, where she served as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor from 1997 until her retirement in 2014. Crone’s insightful work, compellingly conveyed in her adventurous and unconventional style, shed important new light on the critical importance of the Near East—in particular on the cultural, religious and intellectual history of Islam—in historical studies. Her influence is strongly felt at the Institute, where, along with Oleg Grabar (1929–2011), Crone helped to establish the Institute as a recognized center for the pursuit of the study of Islamic culture and history.


https://www.ias.edu/scholars/patricia...

Reviews

[Malika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patricia Crone was aware of the subject she dealt with and the challenge she has undertaken. In this book, Crown dug deep into the origins of patronate, manumission and slavery in the Greek, Roman and Roman provinces . A step further was to compare it and contrast it to Sunni and Shi'i law, in addition to the heretic sects that existed in Arabia.
It is a good read for those interested in the subject.