THE ISLAMIC RULE

Shariah is a common Islamic term. A society cannot be without some laws or a legal framework. Since Islam’s guidance is in a social context, Islam has some explicit and specifically mandated legal precepts and injunctions. The Qur’an is to serve as the primary and divine source for such guidance.

Historically, legalism emerged as the dominant mode of thinking and approach among moslems, where form took precedence over substance and spirit. Due to such legalism, the goals and values related to Islamic guidance gradually faded to the background to the extent that Islam has been reduced to a shell of codes, devoid of spirit, substance and dynamism.

Historians often have wondered at the remarkable success of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad in forming a new society. The pace of consolidation of this society and its evolving into one of the greatest of civilizations also has been mind-boggling.

Representatives of the moslem community, inspired by the call of Islam to propagate the message to the rest of the world, reached distant parts of the world. Despite all the ups and downs through internal and external tensions and conflicts, the pluralistic orientation of the Islamic polity continued. The Islamic rule in Spain provides an illustrative example of Islam’s ability and success to be pluralistic and dynamic.

The Islamic rule in Spain was an attraction for Europe on account of both economic and intellectual reasons. European scholars and learners used to come to the institutions of higher learning there, which was instrumental later in the renaissance in Europe.

Islam under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad brought liberation and freedom from human bondage and ushered in scientific, technological, economic and cultural progress as part of a dynamic civilization. Law is the primary religious science in Islam. Law is essentially religious, the concrete expression of God’s guidance for humanity.

Throughout history, Islamic law has remained central to moslem identity and practice, for it constitutes the ideal social blueprint for the ‘good society.’ The Shariah has been a source of law and moral guidance, the basis for both law and ethics. Despite vast cultural differences, Islamic law has provided an underlying sense of identity, a common code of behavior, for moslem societies. As a result, the role of Islamic law in moslem society has been and continues to be central issue for the community of believers.