Shariah law : questions and answers /

Addressing sharia's sources, objectives, theories of interpretation, and legal maxims in a question-and-answer format, Kamali (Shariah Law: An Introduction), founding CEO at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies at the International Islamic University in Malaysia, attempts to "provide an inkling for a general-interest reader" of the "basic contours of Shariah and Islamic law." The book is comprehensive in its scope and detailed in discussing how sharia addresses issues such as worship, criminal law, gender and family, banking and finance, and modern bioethical and environmental concerns. Kamali is a sound scholar and an encyclopedic source of information on sharia's theoretical and applied aspects, and this book reflects that erudition. However, although the question-and-answer format makes the text easy to understand, it makes for dry reading. While attractive for those looking for an academic introduction, this book may prove too dense for the casual reader. Furthermore, while on the one hand Kamali identifies sharia as a matter of interpretation and application, he can, at times, treat it as a set system when it suits his own views. Kamali's presentation of sharia as complex yet understandable is commendable and this book is worth the effort for those looking to take these questions seriously amid much misunderstanding and misrepresentation. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Using a question-and-answer format, Islamic jurisprudence and legal scholar Kamali (CEO, International Inst. of Advanced Islamic Studies) endeavors to make the Islamic legal field both accessible and understandable, especially for the nonspecialist. Addressing 190 questions, such as what is Shariah (Islamic law) and what is fiqh (understanding or human interpretation), as well as the broad topics of violence and jihad, gender, family, property, and bioethics, the author keeps his answers generally to the point, based upon his own knowledge of Shariah in the 21st century. He acknowledges that while he depends heavily upon the Qur'an and Sunnah for answers, some, given their unrealized ends such as cloning and genetic engineering, will necessarily remain open-ended. Each section concludes with pertinent Qur'anic verses, hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad), and further legal maxims. Fairly forthright and devoid of legal jargon, this account still requires a bit of work. Islamic terms are helpfully defined in a glossary. -VERDICT A solid jump-start into the subject for -inquiring minds.-SC © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.