REL 381 - Islamic Law in Society

(LAW 323) FDR: HU
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter 2014 and alternating years

Prerequisite: Instructor consent. This seminar introduces students to the Islamic understanding of shari’a (“Path,” “law”) and its role in Muslim culture, history, and society. To be examined are: the key sources of law in the Qur’an and the model of the Prophet Muhammad, the early development of Islamic legal theories and institutions, the roles of these institutions in everyday life, and the struggle to re-imagine Islamic law and its place in contemporary Muslim communities. Case studies include the nature of political institutions, the rights and roles of women, and Islamic economics, courtroom procedure and the standing of shari’a in American courts. Blecher.