Shari'ah

A Case for Legal Pluralism

Muslims form one-fifth of the world population, yet people know very little about Muslims, their culture, religion, and history. This is not a textbook on Islamic lawthe Shariahbut it analyzes the Shariah in its correct perspective as a way of life that a Muslim is required to follow in order to gain the pleasure of God, seeking His rewards and avoiding the punishments, thus introducing to those non-Muslims the correct understanding of the Shariah. After 9/11 and 7/7, Shariah, in any form, has become very suspicious, and a new word, Islamophobia, has entered the English lexicon. Against this background, this book examines the concept of Islamic law that can be safely accommodated within the British legal system. A strong case has been made for legal pluralism that can be introduced without affecting human rights, and a robust case has been made for allowing Muslim matrimonial and family matters to be settled using the British Arbitration Act of 1996