Islamic Law: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #662

by Mashood A Baderin

Very Short Introductions : Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

Islamic law is one of the major legal systems in the world today, yet it is often misunderstood, particularly in the West. It is applicable in different forms as part of state law in countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, and also has a strong influence on Muslim communities throughout the Western world.

This Very Short Introduction provides an authoritative perspective on the evolution and nature of Islamic law. Mashood A. Baderin considers its theory, covering the history and nature of Islamic jurisprudence; its scope, covering Family Law, Inheritance Law, Financial Law, Penal Law, and International Law; and, finally, its practice. He takes into account both classical and modern scholarly perspectives in examining the various facets of Islamic law, to provide an overview of this key legal system.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Religion, Islam, Nonfiction, Law, History, Audiobook, Philosophy

176 pages, Paperback

Published May 3, 2021

Reviews

[Jacabaeus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful little primer on the basics of Islamic law and the Islamic legal systems. A particular highlight for me is the section dealing with Islamic estates that finally made the Qur'anic and agnatic inheritance divisions start to make sense. The referenced works and the suggested works are both extremely helpful and I look forward to perusing many of those articles and texts in furtherance of my study of this subject.

There were two chapters that I was disappointed in: the chapter on Islamic financial law and the chapter on courts and administration of justice. The former chapter several times brought up that certain western financial or commercial products, such as mortgages, are likely un-Islamic and cannot be used, but then mentions in off-handed way that institutions and Muslims have found a way to access these products. The author fails to mention what rulings or modified financial products have come into existence to allow their use by Muslims, nor how these products are modified versus the "normal" versions. The chapter regarding administration of justice is well done, but I feel that it is overly short and was likely the chapter that was on the butcher's block by the editor to cut down the page count. As such, it is overly short and unspecific on the nature and structures of an Islamic court, either historical (in the classical or medieval periods) or on contemporary courts. But this is likely an obscure interest as I am a legal professional and really wanted to get a sense of how that would work.

I must vociferously disagree with another review on here which called the text a book of Muslim apologetics. Such an orientalist and frankly offensive view is shocking. This text is in no way an apologist work, nor does it forward any kind of agenda. It sets out the framework and basis of Islamic law and tells you how these laws impact the lives of Muslims around the world as well as the history of these laws and their various ways of interpreting them and the results of those interpretations. I found it to be a eminently evenhanded text that seeks to put forward multiple views while refraining from argument.

In short, anyone who seeks an understanding of this topic would be well advised to start with this book, and it would likely be an excellent refresher for those who know this topic quite well.

[Ryan Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful introduction to Islamic jurisprudence throughout history and it’s current interpretations.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nigerian-born Mashood A. Baderin is a Professor of Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in the United Kingdom (UK). Baderin published a short introduction to Islamic Law in 2021. Baderin is a character in his book. I feel that Baderin is writing in part to reassure non-Muslims that Islamic law is not that different from other types of religious law that the non-Muslim reader might be more used to. For example, in the UK as of 2018, Islamic marriages are not recognized if the couple married in the UK unlike Christian and Jewish marriages within the UK (Baderin 73-74). This example, why I feel like Baderin’s concern is a legitimate concern. The book covers the historical development of Islamic Law. The book then contains a section on how to define Islamic Law. Chapter 3 is on the “theory, scope, and practice "of Islamic Law (Baderin 25-44). The book then has chapters on family law, the “law of inheritance” (Baderin 74-91), the “law of financial transactions” (Baderin 91-100), criminal law, and international law. Chapter 9 is on how the Islamic court system of Islamic Law is structured. The last chapter is a brief view of the future of Islamic Law. The book has references, a section of “further reading’ (Baderin 143-146), an index, and illustrations. I read the book on my Kindle. I found Baderin’s introduction to Islamic Law to be a good introduction to Islamic Law.

[Muhyiddin Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read and very well-informed short intro to Islamic law. It represents Islamic law from a reformist, modernist and apologetic point of view. This does not discount the content in any way. If anything, it does give this intro a context through which IL can be thought of. The author is honest enough to make his voice, with the biases it come with, recognisable at parts. No written work is void of such. You might disagree with the orientation, I indeed do, but I still can recognise the richness, clarity and value of this excellent intro.

[Rosa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping to learn but I couldn’t understand the Arabic names and phrases. Hope to find another book that’s is more elementary.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good! I learned a lot about a topic I knew very little about.

[Connor Longaphie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful. Not the most exciting book, but the subject matter doesn't help make it so

[Joseph Wickland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Acceptable but perhaps too big an undertaking for this kind of book

[Rehan Balghari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy, short, informative, and interesting.

[Stèf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great way to learn a few basic terms and prepare one to jump into a rabbit-hole. Interesting, simple, and surprisingly detailed.