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Is There a Duty to die? (Biomedical Ethics Reviews #Vol. 17)
by Robert F. Almeder James M. HumberThe question of whether there might be a duty to die was first raised by Margaret Battin in 1987 in her ground-breaking essay, "Age Distribution and the Just Distribution of Health Care: Is There a Duty to-Die?" In 1997 the issue was reprised when two new articles appeared on the topic written by John Hardwig and the other by former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm. Given the renewed interest in the topic, as well as its undeniable importance, Biomedical Ethics Re views sought to initiate an in-depth discussion of the issue by soliciting articles and issuing a general call for papers on the topic "Is There a Duty to Die?" The twelve articles in this volume represent the ultimate fruits of those initiatives. The first seven essays in this text are sympathetic to the claim that there is a duty to die. They argue either: (a) that some form of a duty to die exists, or (b) that arguments that might be offered against the existence of such a duty cannot be sustained. By way of contrast, the last five articles in the text are critical of duty-to-die claims: The authors of the first three of these five articles attempt to cast doubt on the existence of a duty to die, and the writers of the last two essays argue that if such a duty did exist, severe problems would arise when ever we attempted to implement it.
Is There a Duty to Die?: And Other Essays in Bioethics (Reflective Bioethics)
by John HardwigFirst published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Is There a Duty to Die?: And Other Essays in Bioethics (Reflective Bioethics)
by John HardwigFirst published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Is this Cell a Human Being?: Exploring the Status of Embryos, Stem Cells and Human-Animal Hybrids
by Antoine Suarez and Joachim HuarteThe central question of this book is whether or not particular cell entities of human origin ought to be considered human beings. The answer is crucial for making moral decisions for or against research and experimentation. Experts in the field discuss the production of embryonic-like pluripotent stem cells by altered nuclear transfer, parthenogenesis and reprogramming of adult somatic cells. They thoroughly analyse the biological and moral status of different cell entities, such as human stem cells, embryos and human-animal hybrid embryos, and make a decisive step towards establishing final criteria for what constitutes a human being. The topic is challenging in nature and of broad interest to all those concerned with current bioethical thought on embryonic human life and its implications for society.
Is This God's Country?: Religion and Democracy in America
by Robert AudiCan religion coexist in harmony with the American ideal of separation of church and state? Philosopher Robert Audi here explores this perennial and topical question. The notion of a religion is complex and elastic; the notion of democracy is complex and contested. Audi explores both notions in the context of American founding documents, American ideals of religious liberty and social justice, and contemporary American social problems in public education, business, and healthcare--all of which are beset by the culture wars--from perceived hostility to religion in schools, to vaccine resistance, to refusals to provide religiously objectionable services, to abortion. Is This God's Country? reflects Audi's decades of work on religion and politics, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He accessibly explains why America separates church and state, how this can benefit both religious and secular citizens, why there is nevertheless controversy about what this means, and how opposed religious and secular people can peaceably resolve their differences. With the generous use of examples, Audi proposes standards for discussing and resolving those differences in education, business, and medical care. His final chapter addresses the question whether, within those standards, America can be Christian--or religious at all--in a way that integrates religious liberty with democratic law-making and expands the common ground we need to overcome the cultural fragmentation that besets America.
Is This God's Country?: Religion and Democracy in America
by Robert AudiCan religion coexist in harmony with the American ideal of separation of church and state? Philosopher Robert Audi here explores this perennial and topical question. The notion of a religion is complex and elastic; the notion of democracy is complex and contested. Audi explores both notions in the context of American founding documents, American ideals of religious liberty and social justice, and contemporary American social problems in public education, business, and healthcare--all of which are beset by the culture wars--from perceived hostility to religion in schools, to vaccine resistance, to refusals to provide religiously objectionable services, to abortion. Is This God's Country? reflects Audi's decades of work on religion and politics, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He accessibly explains why America separates church and state, how this can benefit both religious and secular citizens, why there is nevertheless controversy about what this means, and how opposed religious and secular people can peaceably resolve their differences. With the generous use of examples, Audi proposes standards for discussing and resolving those differences in education, business, and medical care. His final chapter addresses the question whether, within those standards, America can be Christian--or religious at all--in a way that integrates religious liberty with democratic law-making and expands the common ground we need to overcome the cultural fragmentation that besets America.
Isaiah Berlin: An Interpretation of His Thought
by John GrayIsaiah Berlin (1909-1997) was the greatest intellectual historian of the twentieth century. But his work also made an original and important contribution to moral and political philosophy and to liberal theory. In 1921, at the age of eleven, Isaiah Berlin arrived in England from Riga, Latvia. By the time he was thirty he was at the heart of British intellectual life. He has remained its commanding presence ever since, and few would dispute that he was one of Britain's greatest thinkers. His reputation extends worldwide--as a great conversationalist, intellectual historian, and man of letters. He has been called the century's most inspired reader. Yet Berlin's contributions to thought--in particular to moral and political philosophy, and to liberal theory--are little understood, and surprisingly neglected by the academic world. In this book, they are shown to be animated by a single, powerful, subversive idea: value-pluralism which affirms the reality of a deep conflict between ultimate human values that reason cannot resolve. Though bracingly clear-headed, humane and realist, Berlin's value-pluralism runs against the dominant Western traditions, secular and religious, which avow an ultimate harmony of values. It supports a highly distinctive restatement of liberalism in Berlin's work--an agnostic liberalism, which is founded not on rational choice but on the radical choices we make when faced with intractable dilemmas. It is this new statement of liberalism, the central subject of John Gray's lively and lucid book, which gives the liberal intellectual tradition a new lease on life, a new source of life, and which comprises Berlin's central and enduring legacy. In a new introduction, Gray argues that, in a world in which human freedom has spread more slowly than democracy, Berlin's account of liberty and basic decency is more instructive and useful than ever.
Isaiah Berlin: An Interpretation of His Thought
by John GrayIsaiah Berlin (1909-1997) was the greatest intellectual historian of the twentieth century. But his work also made an original and important contribution to moral and political philosophy and to liberal theory. In 1921, at the age of eleven, Isaiah Berlin arrived in England from Riga, Latvia. By the time he was thirty he was at the heart of British intellectual life. He has remained its commanding presence ever since, and few would dispute that he was one of Britain's greatest thinkers. His reputation extends worldwide--as a great conversationalist, intellectual historian, and man of letters. He has been called the century's most inspired reader. Yet Berlin's contributions to thought--in particular to moral and political philosophy, and to liberal theory--are little understood, and surprisingly neglected by the academic world. In this book, they are shown to be animated by a single, powerful, subversive idea: value-pluralism which affirms the reality of a deep conflict between ultimate human values that reason cannot resolve. Though bracingly clear-headed, humane and realist, Berlin's value-pluralism runs against the dominant Western traditions, secular and religious, which avow an ultimate harmony of values. It supports a highly distinctive restatement of liberalism in Berlin's work--an agnostic liberalism, which is founded not on rational choice but on the radical choices we make when faced with intractable dilemmas. It is this new statement of liberalism, the central subject of John Gray's lively and lucid book, which gives the liberal intellectual tradition a new lease on life, a new source of life, and which comprises Berlin's central and enduring legacy. In a new introduction, Gray argues that, in a world in which human freedom has spread more slowly than democracy, Berlin's account of liberty and basic decency is more instructive and useful than ever.
(ISC)2 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide
by Mike Chapple James Michael Stewart Darril GibsonCISSP Study Guide - fully updated for the 2021 CISSP Body of Knowledge (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Official Study Guide, 9th Edition has been completely updated based on the latest 2021 CISSP Exam Outline. This bestselling Sybex Study Guide covers 100% of the exam objectives. You'll prepare for the exam smarter and faster with Sybex thanks to expert content, knowledge from our real-world experience, advice on mastering this adaptive exam, access to the Sybex online interactive learning environment, and much more. Reinforce what you've learned with key topic exam essentials and chapter review questions. The three co-authors of this book bring decades of experience as cybersecurity practitioners and educators, integrating real-world expertise with the practical knowledge you'll need to successfully pass the CISSP exam. Combined, they've taught cybersecurity concepts to millions of students through their books, video courses, and live training programs. Along with the book, you also get access to Sybex's superior online interactive learning environment that includes: Over 900 new and improved practice test questions with complete answer explanations. This includes all of the questions from the book plus four additional online-only practice exams, each with 125 unique questions. You can use the online-only practice exams as full exam simulations. Our questions will help you identify where you need to study more. Get more than 90 percent of the answers correct, and you're ready to take the certification exam. More than 700 Electronic Flashcards to reinforce your learning and give you last-minute test prep before the exam A searchable glossary in PDF to give you instant access to the key terms you need to know for the exam New for the 9th edition: Audio Review. Author Mike Chapple reads the Exam Essentials for each chapter providing you with 2 hours and 50 minutes of new audio review for yet another way to reinforce your knowledge as you prepare. Coverage of all of the exam topics in the book means you'll be ready for: Security and Risk Management Asset Security Security Architecture and Engineering Communication and Network Security Identity and Access Management (IAM) Security Assessment and Testing Security Operations Software Development Security
(ISC)2 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide
by Mike Chapple James Michael Stewart Darril GibsonCISSP Study Guide - fully updated for the 2021 CISSP Body of Knowledge (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Official Study Guide, 9th Edition has been completely updated based on the latest 2021 CISSP Exam Outline. This bestselling Sybex Study Guide covers 100% of the exam objectives. You'll prepare for the exam smarter and faster with Sybex thanks to expert content, knowledge from our real-world experience, advice on mastering this adaptive exam, access to the Sybex online interactive learning environment, and much more. Reinforce what you've learned with key topic exam essentials and chapter review questions. The three co-authors of this book bring decades of experience as cybersecurity practitioners and educators, integrating real-world expertise with the practical knowledge you'll need to successfully pass the CISSP exam. Combined, they've taught cybersecurity concepts to millions of students through their books, video courses, and live training programs. Along with the book, you also get access to Sybex's superior online interactive learning environment that includes: Over 900 new and improved practice test questions with complete answer explanations. This includes all of the questions from the book plus four additional online-only practice exams, each with 125 unique questions. You can use the online-only practice exams as full exam simulations. Our questions will help you identify where you need to study more. Get more than 90 percent of the answers correct, and you're ready to take the certification exam. More than 700 Electronic Flashcards to reinforce your learning and give you last-minute test prep before the exam A searchable glossary in PDF to give you instant access to the key terms you need to know for the exam New for the 9th edition: Audio Review. Author Mike Chapple reads the Exam Essentials for each chapter providing you with 2 hours and 50 minutes of new audio review for yet another way to reinforce your knowledge as you prepare. Coverage of all of the exam topics in the book means you'll be ready for: Security and Risk Management Asset Security Security Architecture and Engineering Communication and Network Security Identity and Access Management (IAM) Security Assessment and Testing Security Operations Software Development Security
The ISIS Hostage: One Man's True Story of 13 Months in Captivity
by Puk DamsgårdThe Number One International BestsellerThe dramatic story of freelance photographer Daniel Rye, who was held hostage for 13 months by ISIS, as told by an award-winning writer.In May 2013, freelance photographer Daniel Rye was captured in Syria and held prisoner by Islamic State for thirteen months, along with eighteen other hostages. The ISIS Hostage tells the dramatic and heart-breaking story of Daniel's ordeal and details the misery inflicted upon him by the British guards, which included Jihadi John.This tense and riveting account also follows Daniel's family and the nerve-wracking negotiations with his kidnappers. It traces their horrifying journey through impossible dilemmas and offers a rare glimpse into the secret world of the investigation launched to locate and free not only Daniel, but also the American journalist and fellow hostage James Foley.Written with Daniel's full cooperation and based on interviews with former fellow prisoners, jihadists and key figures who worked behind the scenes to secure his release, The ISIS Hostage reveals for the first time the torment suffered by the captives and tells a moving and terrifying story of friendship, torture and survival.
Islam: An Advanced Introduction
by Roberto TottoliExploring complex relations between Muslim visions and critical stances, this textbook is a compact introduction to Islam, dealing with the origins of its forms, from early developments to contemporary issues, including religious principles, beliefs and practices. The author’s innovative method considers the various opposing theories and approaches between the Islamic tradition and scholars of Islam. Each topic is accompanied by up-to-date bibliographical references and a list of titles for further study, while an exhaustive glossary includes the elementary notions to allow in-depth study. Part I outlines the two founding aspects, the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad, highlighting essential concepts, according to Islamic religious discourse and related critical issues. In Part II the emergence of the religious themes that have characterised the formation of Islam are explored in terms of historical developments. Part III, on contemporary Islam, examines the growth of Islam between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern age. Advanced readers, already familiar with the elementary notions of Islam and religious studies will benefit from Islam that explores the development of religious discourse in a historical perspective. This unique textbook is a key resource for post-graduate researchers and academics interested in Islam, religion and the Middle East.
Islam: An Advanced Introduction
by Roberto TottoliExploring complex relations between Muslim visions and critical stances, this textbook is a compact introduction to Islam, dealing with the origins of its forms, from early developments to contemporary issues, including religious principles, beliefs and practices. The author’s innovative method considers the various opposing theories and approaches between the Islamic tradition and scholars of Islam. Each topic is accompanied by up-to-date bibliographical references and a list of titles for further study, while an exhaustive glossary includes the elementary notions to allow in-depth study. Part I outlines the two founding aspects, the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad, highlighting essential concepts, according to Islamic religious discourse and related critical issues. In Part II the emergence of the religious themes that have characterised the formation of Islam are explored in terms of historical developments. Part III, on contemporary Islam, examines the growth of Islam between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern age. Advanced readers, already familiar with the elementary notions of Islam and religious studies will benefit from Islam that explores the development of religious discourse in a historical perspective. This unique textbook is a key resource for post-graduate researchers and academics interested in Islam, religion and the Middle East.
Islam – Meinungsfreiheit – Internet: Staatsrechtliche Aspekte der Religions-, Meinungs- und Medienfreiheit
by Lothar HäberleDas Themenspektrum dieses Buches erscheint weit gespannt. Meinungsfreiheit bildet das Scharnier zwischen Islam und Internet, hat mit beiden gemeinsame Konfliktfelder. In diesem Spannungsfeld erläutern Staatsrechtslehrer wie Udo Steiner, Michael Sachs und Klaus F. Gärditz Aspekte der Meinungsfreiheit wie auch der Religions-, Kunst- und Pressefreiheit. Aber gibt es auch Schnittmengen zwischen Islam und Internet? Die geistige, publizistische und politische Auseinandersetzung um den Islam in Deutschland und Europa findet zu guten Teilen im Internet statt. Dabei wirkt das Internet als Konfliktverstärker: Dessen anonyme Nutzung bewirkt mangelnde Zurechenbarkeit und Verantwortlichkeit für Duktus und Inhalt des eigenen Beitrags. Unsichtbar bleibt auch der Kritisierte. So wirkt das Internet enthemmend. Wie Islamgegner oder -feinde das Internet nutzen, so gleichermaßen Islamisten: zu Propaganda, zur Anwerbung von IS-Sympathisanten oder -Kämpfern, zur Vorbereitung von Anschlägen und anderen Straftaten. Spannen beide Seiten das Internet für ihre gegenläufigen Zwecke ein, verstärken sich die Konflikte erheblich. Das Internet-Phänomen „Echokammer“ (Abkapselung Gleichgesinnter) trägt erheblich bei zu wachsender Sprachlosigkeit zwischen verschiedenen gesellschaftlichen Gruppen. Hate Speech, massive Beleidigungen, Drohungen verschärfen die Gegnerschaft. Zentrifugale Kräfte der Gesellschaft werden verstärkt, nicht nur sichtbarer. In mehreren Beiträgen wird hierbei die Rolle des Internets untersucht, werden Ansatzpunkte möglicher Regulierungen sowie problemgerechte Lösungen aufgezeigt.
Islam and Biomedicine (Philosophy and Medicine #137)
by Afifi Al-Akiti Aasim I. PadelaThis book showcases multidisciplinary research at the intersection of the Islamic tradition and biomedicine. Within this broad area of scholarship, this book considers how Islamic theological constructs align with the science and practice of medicine, and in so doing offer resources for bridging the challenges of competing ontological visions, varied epistemic frameworks, and different theologies of life and living among the bodies of knowledge. By bringing together theologians, medical practitioners and intellectual historians, the book spurs deeper conversations at the intersection of these fields and provides fundamental resources for further dedicated research.
Islam and Human Rights: Selected Essays of Abdullahi An-Na'im (Collected Essays in Law)
by Abdullahi An-Na'im edited by BaderinThe relationship between Islam and human rights forms an important aspect of contemporary international human rights debates. Current international events have made the topic more relevant than ever in international law discourse. Professor Abdullahi An-Na'im is undoubtedly one of the leading international scholars on this subject. He has written extensively on the subject and his works are widely referenced in the literature. His contributions on the subject are however scattered in different academic journals and book chapters. This anthology is designed to bring together his academic contributions on the subject under one cover, for easy access for students and researchers in Islamic law and human rights.
Islam and Human Rights: Selected Essays of Abdullahi An-Na'im (Collected Essays in Law)
by Abdullahi An-Na'im edited by BaderinThe relationship between Islam and human rights forms an important aspect of contemporary international human rights debates. Current international events have made the topic more relevant than ever in international law discourse. Professor Abdullahi An-Na'im is undoubtedly one of the leading international scholars on this subject. He has written extensively on the subject and his works are widely referenced in the literature. His contributions on the subject are however scattered in different academic journals and book chapters. This anthology is designed to bring together his academic contributions on the subject under one cover, for easy access for students and researchers in Islamic law and human rights.
Islam and Literalism: Literal Meaning and Interpretation in Islamic Legal Theory (Edinburgh University Press)
by Robert GleaveLiteral meaning is what a text means in itself, regardless of what its author intends to convey or the reader understands to be its message. The idea of literal meaning, together with insights from modern semantic and pragmatic philosophers, informs this reading of Islamic legal hermeneutics.Robert Gleave explores various competing notions of literal meaning, linked to both theological doctrine and historical developments. The idea of a text’s literal meaning that rules over human attempts to understand God’s message has become an element in discussions about who has the authority to interpret the revelatory texts, and how they can identify this meaning. This has resulted in a series of debates over the processing of legal meaning amongst modern Muslim legal theorists, which centre on the importance of defining, identifying and promulgating the literal meaning of the central texts of Islam.
Islam and Morality: A Philosophical Introduction
by Oliver LeamanIslam and Morality considers how Islam, the Qur'an, and other Islamic texts have approached the ethics of a variety of contemporary and historical issues. Oliver Leaman provides a varied, balanced, and thought-provoking account of how Islamic thinkers discussed medical ethics, wealth, poverty, the environment, and law. He explores the work of a range of Islamic thinkers, including Rumi, Ibn al-'Arabi, al-Ghazali, Mutahhari and Barlas, while taking into consideration the different branches of Islam and Islamic theology and law. The book also considers how Islam understands the concept of free will, the relationship between good and evil, and far less abstract topics like what we should eat and drink.Aimed at upper level undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers working in Islamic Studies and ethics, this is one of the first books to provide a sustained reading of the importance of ethics within Islam.
Islam and Morality: A Philosophical Introduction
by Oliver LeamanIslam and Morality considers how Islam, the Qur'an, and other Islamic texts have approached the ethics of a variety of contemporary and historical issues. Oliver Leaman provides a varied, balanced, and thought-provoking account of how Islamic thinkers discussed medical ethics, wealth, poverty, the environment, and law. He explores the work of a range of Islamic thinkers, including Rumi, Ibn al-'Arabi, al-Ghazali, Mutahhari and Barlas, while taking into consideration the different branches of Islam and Islamic theology and law. The book also considers how Islam understands the concept of free will, the relationship between good and evil, and far less abstract topics like what we should eat and drink.Aimed at upper level undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers working in Islamic Studies and ethics, this is one of the first books to provide a sustained reading of the importance of ethics within Islam.
Islam and the Challenge of Democracy: A "Boston Review" Book
by Khaled Abou El Fadl Joshua Cohen Deborah ChasmanThe events of September 11 and the subsequent war on terrorism have provoked widespread discussion about the possibility of democracy in the Islamic world. Such topics as the meaning of jihad, the role of clerics as authoritative interpreters, and the place of human rights and toleration in Islam have become subjects of urgent public debate around the world. With few exceptions, however, this debate has proceeded in isolation from the vibrant traditions of argument within Islamic theology, philosophy, and law. Islam and the Challenge of Democracy aims to correct this deficiency. The book engages the reader in a rich discourse on the challenges of democracy in contemporary Islam. The collection begins with a lead essay by Khaled Abou El Fadl, who argues that democracy, especially a constitutional democracy that protects basic individual rights, is the form of government best suited to promoting a set of social and political values central to Islam. Because Islam is about submission to God and about each individual's responsibility to serve as His agent on Earth, Abou El Fadl argues, there is no place for the subjugation to human authority demanded by authoritarian regimes. The lead essay is followed by eleven others from internationally respected specialists in democracy and religion. They address, challenge, and engage Abou El Fadl's work. The contributors include John Esposito, Muhammad Fadel, Noah Feldman, Nader Hashemi, Bernard Haykel, Muqtedar Khan, Saba Mahmood, David Novak, William Quandt, Kevin Reinhart, and Jeremy Waldron.
Islam and the Challenge of Democracy: A "Boston Review" Book
by Khaled Abou El Fadl Joshua Cohen Deborah ChasmanThe events of September 11 and the subsequent war on terrorism have provoked widespread discussion about the possibility of democracy in the Islamic world. Such topics as the meaning of jihad, the role of clerics as authoritative interpreters, and the place of human rights and toleration in Islam have become subjects of urgent public debate around the world. With few exceptions, however, this debate has proceeded in isolation from the vibrant traditions of argument within Islamic theology, philosophy, and law. Islam and the Challenge of Democracy aims to correct this deficiency. The book engages the reader in a rich discourse on the challenges of democracy in contemporary Islam. The collection begins with a lead essay by Khaled Abou El Fadl, who argues that democracy, especially a constitutional democracy that protects basic individual rights, is the form of government best suited to promoting a set of social and political values central to Islam. Because Islam is about submission to God and about each individual's responsibility to serve as His agent on Earth, Abou El Fadl argues, there is no place for the subjugation to human authority demanded by authoritarian regimes. The lead essay is followed by eleven others from internationally respected specialists in democracy and religion. They address, challenge, and engage Abou El Fadl's work. The contributors include John Esposito, Muhammad Fadel, Noah Feldman, Nader Hashemi, Bernard Haykel, Muqtedar Khan, Saba Mahmood, David Novak, William Quandt, Kevin Reinhart, and Jeremy Waldron.
Islam and the Rule of Justice: Image and Reality in Muslim Law and Culture
by Lawrence RosenIn the West, we tend to think of Islamic law as an arcane and rigid legal system, bound by formulaic texts yet suffused by unfettered discretion. While judges may indeed refer to passages in the classical texts or have recourse to their own orientations, images of binding doctrine and unbounded choice do not reflect the full reality of the Islamic law in its everyday practice. Whether in the Arabic-speaking world, the Muslim portions of South and Southeast Asia, or the countries to which many Muslims have migrated, Islamic law works is readily misunderstood if the local cultures in which it is embedded are not taken into account. With Islam and the Rule of Justice, Lawrence Rosen analyzes a number of these misperceptions. Drawing on specific cases, he explores the application of Islamic law to the treatment of women (who win most of their cases), the relations between Muslims and Jews (which frequently involve close personal and financial ties), and the structure of widespread corruption (which played a key role in prompting the Arab Spring). From these case studie the role of informal mechanisms in the resolution of local disputes. The author also provides a close reading of the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was charged in an American court with helping to carry out the 9/11 attacks, using insights into how Islamic justice works to explain the defendant’s actions during the trial. The book closes with an examination of how Islamic cultural concepts may come to bear on the constitutional structure and legal reforms many Muslim countries have been undertaking.
Islam and the Rule of Justice: Image and Reality in Muslim Law and Culture
by Lawrence RosenIn the West, we tend to think of Islamic law as an arcane and rigid legal system, bound by formulaic texts yet suffused by unfettered discretion. While judges may indeed refer to passages in the classical texts or have recourse to their own orientations, images of binding doctrine and unbounded choice do not reflect the full reality of the Islamic law in its everyday practice. Whether in the Arabic-speaking world, the Muslim portions of South and Southeast Asia, or the countries to which many Muslims have migrated, Islamic law works is readily misunderstood if the local cultures in which it is embedded are not taken into account. With Islam and the Rule of Justice, Lawrence Rosen analyzes a number of these misperceptions. Drawing on specific cases, he explores the application of Islamic law to the treatment of women (who win most of their cases), the relations between Muslims and Jews (which frequently involve close personal and financial ties), and the structure of widespread corruption (which played a key role in prompting the Arab Spring). From these case studie the role of informal mechanisms in the resolution of local disputes. The author also provides a close reading of the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was charged in an American court with helping to carry out the 9/11 attacks, using insights into how Islamic justice works to explain the defendant’s actions during the trial. The book closes with an examination of how Islamic cultural concepts may come to bear on the constitutional structure and legal reforms many Muslim countries have been undertaking.
Islam and the Rule of Justice: Image and Reality in Muslim Law and Culture
by Lawrence RosenIn the West, we tend to think of Islamic law as an arcane and rigid legal system, bound by formulaic texts yet suffused by unfettered discretion. While judges may indeed refer to passages in the classical texts or have recourse to their own orientations, images of binding doctrine and unbounded choice do not reflect the full reality of the Islamic law in its everyday practice. Whether in the Arabic-speaking world, the Muslim portions of South and Southeast Asia, or the countries to which many Muslims have migrated, Islamic law works is readily misunderstood if the local cultures in which it is embedded are not taken into account. With Islam and the Rule of Justice, Lawrence Rosen analyzes a number of these misperceptions. Drawing on specific cases, he explores the application of Islamic law to the treatment of women (who win most of their cases), the relations between Muslims and Jews (which frequently involve close personal and financial ties), and the structure of widespread corruption (which played a key role in prompting the Arab Spring). From these case studie the role of informal mechanisms in the resolution of local disputes. The author also provides a close reading of the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was charged in an American court with helping to carry out the 9/11 attacks, using insights into how Islamic justice works to explain the defendant’s actions during the trial. The book closes with an examination of how Islamic cultural concepts may come to bear on the constitutional structure and legal reforms many Muslim countries have been undertaking.