Shari'a Law and the Modern Nation-state: A Malaysian SymposiumNorani Othman The arguments presented and the issues raised in this book demand serious consideration from a readership of thinking Muslims who in equal measure value their religious heritage and recognise the need to shape intelligently a sustainable future for its inheritors. left solely to those conventionally recognised as religiously learned, or to any special section of the umma. Rather, it is the common task of all within the worldwide umma if contemporary Muslims are to find ways of effectively addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow. and understandings of Islamic law (including the hudud punishments) that date back to the early centuries of Islamic civilisation, the need to foster an enlightened and contemporary understanding of enduring Qur'anic imperatives is both necessary and urgent. prove a significant contribution to the emergence of such an approach: one that is both authentically grounded in the Qur'anic worldview and at the same time based upon a discerning appreciation of the challenges of ever advancing modernity, upon which today's Muslims cannot, and should not, turn their backs. evolution of Islamic law and a noted international Islamic human rights lawyer, provide the point of departure for the contributors to this book. mandatory, must as a matter of religious faith and obligation be implemented in our own times is unhistorical and unsustainable. Dr. An-Na'im argues All projects aiming at the modern implementation and enforcement of such formulations of shari'a, whatever understanding or misunderstandings their proponents may have of their own motivations, are therefore simply human projects lacking all divine sanction. towards clarifying an urgent and contentious question in contemporary Malaysia. Yet the implications of its arguments reach far beyond Malaysia's borders to the entire Muslim world. |
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Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im al-Islam al-Mawardi Allah An-Na'im Anwar Ibrahim apostasy authentic authority basic Bassam Tibi bay'ah caliph challenge citizens citizenship concept concerning constitution contemporary Muslim context culture of modernity divine domination economic emerged ethical existing faith historical shari'a hudud idealised ijma ijtihad imam imperatives implementation individual institutions intellectual interpretation Islamic civilisation Islamic history Islamic law Islamic political Islamic Reformation Islamic resurgence Islamic societies Islamisation issues jurists justice Kelantan khilafah Kuala Lumpur majority Malaysia Medina modern Muslim modern nation-state moral Muawiyah Muhammad Muslim countries Muslim societies Muslim world Muslims and non-Muslims nation-state nations Norani Othman organisation past plurality present principles Prophet qiyas question Qur'an and sunna rashidun realisation reality recognise religion religious role shari'a law simply Sisters In Islam social sources spirit structure sunna symposium tradition ulama umma Umma and Citizenry un-Islamic unity University Western women