Justice and Islamic Law
Mazalim Courts and Legal Reform
Published on 12. March 2026
384 pages
978-1-83643-201-2 (ISBN)
Description
What do you do when divine law and the justice demanded by your conscience clash? Muslims have wrestled with this problem since the earliest caliphates. The mazalim courts, dating back to the eighth century, were the answer: courts where any subject could appeal directly to an Islamic ruler regarding any matter of justice. Mazalim courts, which were not bound by the rulings of an established school of Islamic law, could address crises in authority and order that Sharia courts could not. Bestselling author Jonathan A.C. Brown unveils the history of mazalim courts, analyses the political, legal and theological thought of its tradition and contends that mazalim courts did not oppose or transcend Sharia, but operated within its limits.
Reviews / Votes
'In this composite volume, Jonathen Brown does the field a great service, first by deploying an extensive analysis and commentary on the mazalim tribunals across centuries, and second, by offering a translation of two treatises on the subject. This is an important work that will for long remain a reference for historians.' Wael B. Hallaq, author of Radical Separation of Powers 'This deeply learned book explores both the concrete history and the ethico-religious significance of an important Islamic legal institution. It remains consistently vivid and engaging while grappling with key scholarly questions in the history of Islamic law.' Marion H. Katz, author of Wives and WorkMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oneworld Publications
Target group
Professional and scholarly
File size
1,78 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-83643-201-2 (9781836432012)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
03/2026
Oneworld Publications
€44.00
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Person
Jonathan A.C. Brown is Professor and Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He is the author of Islam and Blackness, Misquoting Muhammad and Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World, all of which are published by Oneworld.
