Author Profile

Anthony Harris is a distinguished legal scholar, historian, and educator whose career spans over two decades of rigorous research and teaching in comparative jurisprudence, with a specialized focus on the evolution, application, and modern relevance of Islamic legal traditions. As the author of Introduction to Islamic Law, Harris brings a rare combination of profound academic expertise, linguistic fluency, and cross-cultural insight to one of the world’s most sophisticated and widely misunderstood legal systems. Harris’s authority on the subject is built upon a formidable academic foundation. He has done Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Islamic Law & Jurisprudence from a world-renowned institution, where his doctoral dissertation examined the historical evolution of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and its adaptation to changing socio-political landscapes. Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Comparative Constitutional Law, allowing him to masterfully bridge the conceptual gaps between Western statutory frameworks and Classical Islamic law. Advanced Arabic Language Proficiency, achieved through years of intensive immersion and study in major cultural and academic hubs across the Middle East. This linguistic mastery enables him to conduct primary-source research, analyzing classical texts, fatwas (legal opinions), and historical treaties in their original language. Throughout his career, Professor Harris has served as a faculty member and visiting lecturer at prestigious law schools and universities globally. He has dedicated his life to demystifying the complexities of the Sharia for both Muslim and non-Muslim audiences. His research frequently explores the intersection of Islamic law with contemporary human rights, international commerce, and modern governance.

About The Book

Introduction to Islamic Law demystifies a legal system that is frequently misunderstood yet deeply influential across the globe. The text provides a sweeping narrative that traces how a highly moral, localized community system evolved, thrived, and was ultimately dismantled and reshaped under the weight of modernity. The book guides readers into the pre-modern world where Islamic law functioned organically within its "natural habitat". It dispels the Western myth of an authoritarian top-down legal imposition, demonstrating instead that classical Sharīʿa was a community-centric ecosystem largely independent of state interference. This book demonstrates that pre-colonial Sharīʿa was not just a list of prohibitions, but a flexible system deeply rooted in ethics, social welfare, and localized dispute resolution. The book pivots into a powerful, tragic narrative of transformation and dismantling. It meticulously details the arrival of European colonial powers, an expansion that disrupted the structural framework of Islamic legal systems. Colonial administrations systematically stripped traditional Sharīʿa institutions of their financial autonomy (such as seizing waqf or charitable endowments) and subordinated the independent scholarly class to the colonial or modern state apparatus. What was once an evolving, uncodified legal process grounded in custom and morality was suddenly forced into the rigid, codified structures of Western-style nation-states. The book argues that this process led to a structural fragmentation of the original Sharīʿa episteme. The book addresses the contemporary reality of Islamic law. Cut off from its traditional legal ecosystem, modern Sharīʿa has often emerged as a strictly state-controlled, textual entity.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1. Origins and Development of Sharia
Quran as Primary Source of Sharia
Objectives of Sharia
Schools of Islamic Law
Sharia and Commercial Transactions
Chapter 2. Primary Sources of Islamic Law
Sunnah as Explanatory and Complementary Source
Maslahah Mursalah and Public Interest
Sad al-Dharai and Blocking Pretexts
Chapter 3. Secondary Sources in Fiqh Derivation
Scholarly Consensus as Secondary Source
Analogical Reasoning as Secondary Source
Blocking of Means as Secondary Principle
Integration of Secondary Sources in Legal Education
Chapter 4. Major Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence
Factors Leading to Multiple Schools of Thought
Characteristics of the Major Sunni Schools
Methodology of Legal Reasoning in Classical Schools
School Positions on Ijtihad and Taqlid
Chapter 5. Principles of Legal Reasoning
Legal Reasoning and their Foundational Role
Ijma and Scholarly Consensus
Juristic Preference and Equity Considerations
Chapter 6. Rules of Worship Ibadat Explained
Concept of Worship in Islam
Times of Prayer
Friday Prayer
Rules of Fasting
Rules of Zakat
Rules of Pilgrimage
Rules of Sacrifice
Rules of Repentance
Rules of Seeking Forgiveness
Rules of Ease and Facilitation
Chapter 7. Family Law Marriage Regulations
Essential Elements and Conditions for Valid Marriage
Temporary Marriage or Mutah in Islamic Law
Chapter 8. Divorce and Dissolution Procedures
Talaq and its Various Forms and Classifications
Divorce Procedures in Modern Legal Systems
Domestic Violence and Compulsory Divorce
Counseling and Support Services for Divorcing Families
Chapter 9. Inheritance Distribution Rules
Quranic Foundations of Inheritance Law
Calculation Methodology and Distribution Process
Grandparent Inheritance Rules
Bequests and their Relationship to Inheritance
Dispute Resolution in Inheritance Matters
Inheritance and Estate Tax
Inheritance and Orphan Protection
Chapter 10. Commercial Transactions Muamalat
Quranic Foundation for Commercial Ethics
Objectives of Islamic Commercial Law
Sale Contract Bay in Islamic Commercial Law
Agricultural and Crop Sale Contracts
Market Regulation and Consumer Protection
Ethics of Pricing in Islamic Markets
Intersection of Muamalat and Ibadat
Chapter 11. Criminal Law Punishments Categories
Hadd Crimes and their Fixed Punishments
Unlawful Sexual Intercourse and False Accusation
Intentional and Unintentional Homicide Distinctions
Ta’zir Crimes and Judicial Discretion
Procedural Protections in Islamic Criminal Law
Repentance and its Legal Effects
Chapter 12. Evidence and Judicial Process
Adab al-Qadi and Judicial Ethics
Tazkiyah al-Shuhud and Witness Verification
Majlis al-Qada and Court Administration
Chapter 13. Constitutional Law in Islamic Thought
Divine Sovereignty and Human Agency in Governance
Caliphate as Constitutional Model
Legislative Authority and Sharia Compliance
Chapter 14. International Relations and Law
Classical Division of the World in Islamic Jurisprudence
Treatment of Envoys and Diplomats
Conduct of War and Military Ethics
Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Concept of Reciprocity in Islamic International Law
Treatment of Environmental Damage in Warfare
Chapter 15. Human Rights in Sharia Framework
Right to Life and Physical Integrity
Freedom of Religion and Belief
Right to Privacy and Protection from Intrusion
Limitations and Balances in Rights Framework
Chapter 16. Women’s Rights under Islamic Law
Historical Context of Women’s Rights in Islam
Rights of Married Women
Issue of Polygyny
Principle of Justice in Gender Relations
Chapter 17. Contract Law Fundamental Principles
Concept of Contract or Aqd in Islamic Law
Prohibition of Gharar in Contracts
Freedom of Contract and its Limits
Types of Contracts in Islamic Law
Option Rights or Khiyar in Islamic Contracts
Void and Voidable Contracts
Contractual Remedies and Dispute Resolution
Contracts of Sale or Bay
Chapter 18. Property Rights and Ownership
Modes of Acquiring Property Ownership
Zakat as Obligation on Property
Forfeiture of Property for Legal Violations
Agricultural Land and Tenancy Arrangements
Commercial Property and Business Assets
Bibliography
Index