Book Reviews 145 

Perspectives on Islamic Law, Justice and Society 

R .S Khare, ed 

Lanham, MD: Roman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1999. 207 pages. 

This short, 207 page book is a refreshing overview of Islamic legal princi­

ples 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 chang­

ing socio-economic conditions with modernity and technology. The collec­
tion is organized in three parts. The first part outlines the concept oflslamic 

law, formal legal institutions and traditional .Islamic scholarship. The sec­

ond 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 por­

tion 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 soci­

eties today are dealing with modernity and the manner in which technolog­

ical 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. 









Book Reviews 149 

R.S. Khare's collection of essays is thought-provoking and well orga­
nized as well as containing a diversity of viewpoints. One need not be an 

expert in Islamic law to understand the essays. Perspectives on Islamic 
Law, Justice, and Society provides remarkable depth and insight into the 
theological, historical, sociological and cultural aspects of Islamic law as 

the historically changing interpretation of a set of divine principles. 

Yousm Y. Fazili 

American University 

Washington College of Law 

Washington, DC