Islamic Law and Legal System: Studies of Saudi Arabia (Studies in Islamic Law and Society) [Hardcover]

Frank E. Vogel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000 | ISBN-10: 9004110623 | ISBN-13: 978-9004110625

Based on years of research in Saudi Arabia, this volume investigates the legal system of Saudi Arabia both for its own sake and as a case-study of an Islamic legal system. As a study of Saudi Arabia, it is the first extensive treatment in English of the constitution and Islamic court system of Saudi Arabia. As a study of an existing legal system in continuity with past Islamic law and practice, it sheds new light on Islamic legal doctrine, practice, and institutions, correcting for past scholarly neglect of Islamic law's application. The book develops a framework of concepts, rooted in both Islamic and western legal theory, useful for the comparative description and analysis of Islamic legal systems and applications, past and present.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'"Cet itude [] est remarquable par sa pricision, sa clarti et l'irudition'
Nahas M. Mahieddin, "Studia Islamica, 2001.
'" Einer der wichtigsten Aspekte dieses Buche ist, dass es Vogel gelingt, den viel zitierten Schleier zu l]ften, welcher ]ber dem islamischen Rechtssystem Saudi-Arabiens liegt.'
Sebastian Maisel, "PAVO.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Brill Academic Pub (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004110623
• ISBN-13: 978-9004110625
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,861,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the tension in Saoudi Arabia, February 2, 2002

By 

P. Beusen "World literaure" (Belgium) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Islamic Law and Legal System: Studies of Saudi Arabia (Studies in Islamic Law and Society) (Hardcover)

This book offers a unique glimpse into the two forces that are trying to dominate Saoudi-Arabian society: the islamic legal scholars (ulama) and the royal Saud family. At the moment the ulama seem to be winning this battle, which leads to the implementation of strict islamic Hanbali law in almost all spheres of everyday life. The striving of the king to implement more westernized laws is largely ignored by the ulama and the islamic judges. All this makes the Saoudi-arabian islamic system of law an ideal subject for studying and understanding Islam. The book is fairly easy reading, although I would say that some preliminary knowledge about Islam is required.