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Islam & Philosophy

Islamic Law, Reform & Philosophy

Oliver Leaman looks at philosophical problems related to basing law on religion.

Islam has a long and intricate legal history, and this has led to important arguments in the Islamic world about what law rests upon and how far it may be changed. Sunni Islam is divided up into four major legal schools, and there are a variety also in the Shi`i tradition. There are often different approaches to ritual and punishment, and in particular, in how to judge cases. Some schools accept analogy and precedent, others do not, or at least are cautious on straying from the letter of the law. After all, in the Islamic world, the source of law is ultimately the word of God as recorded in the Qur’an, and also in the traditional sayings of the Prophet and his companions called the Hadith.

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