Is there a basis for human rights in Islam? Beginning with an exploration of what rights are and how the human rights discourse developed, Abdullah Saeed explores the resources that exist within Islamic tradition. He looks at those that are compatible with international human rights law and can be garnered to promote and protect human rights in Muslim-majority states. A number of rights are given specific focus, including the rights of women and children, freedom of expression and religion, as well as jihad and the laws of war. Human Rights and Islam emphasises the need for Muslims to rethink problematic areas of Islamic thought that are difficult to reconcile with contemporary conceptions of human rights.

Islamic law is one of the major legal systems in the world today, yet it is often misunderstood, particularly in the West. This book provides a critical overview of the theory, scope, and practice of Islamic law, taking into account both classical and modern scholarly perspectives in examining the various facets of this key legal system.

When a person dies, his ownership of his property ends, and is to be given to his heirs. It is Allah's Ta'ala favour upon us that He has not made the disposal of that wealth as charity necessary, but rather, He in His wisdom knows that the death of any person is a great loss to their relatives and an even greater loss to their dependents who relied upon them for provision. That said, Allah Ta'ala also knew that Man has greed. And it is this greed that causes brother to hate brother and sister, and to usurp the rights of the less persuasive. For this reason, Allah has fixed, very clearly in the Qur'an, the allotted shares of the relatives of the deceased. This has been further mapped out in the Ahadith by the Prophet of Allah Ta'ala so as to leave no scope of doubt or leeway for argument in who gets what. Everyone will get their share: No more, no less. This prevents the greedy from getting more than their share and it stops the undefended from receiving less than their allotment. In Islam the concept of the wealth only going to the first born son is seen as oppressive. Islam has also distinguished the different levels of dependency of the closer relatives and has stipulated amounts varying in quantity in different circumstances. The factors that lessen one relative's share is the presence of another relative, who also has a considerable relationship with the deceased. There are times when an allotment may seem unfair, these will also be explained. For example, of two inheriting brothers, one may be financially well off whereas the other is poor. This will not mean that the poorer brother will get everything or more than the richer brother. This is because inheritance is not charity and is given on account of the strength of the relationship not on account of who is more needy. Both brothers in this aspect are equal, and will thus receive an equal share. This book only deals with the financial side of the events around death. For an in-depth look at the rites of passage of the burial please refer to our publication, "What to do when a Muslim Dies".

A number of Arab states have recently either codified Muslim family law for the first time, or have issued amendments or new laws which significantly impact the statutory rights of women as wives, mothers and daughters. In Women and Muslim Family Laws in Arab States Lynn Welchman examines women's rights in Muslim family laws in Arab states across the Middle East while also surveying the public debates surrounding the issues. The author considers these new laws alongside older statutes to comment on the patterns and dynamics of change both in the texts of the laws, and in the processes through by which they are drafted and issued. She draws on original legal texts and explanatory statements as well as on extensive secondary literature particular to certain states for an insight into practice, and on; interventions by women's rights organizations and other parties to the debate in the press and in advocacy materials. The discussions are set in the contemporary global context that 'internationalises' the domestic and regional debates.The book considers laws in states from the Gulf to North Africa in regard to their approaches to issues of codification processes and issues of and of registration, capacity and guardianship in marriage, polygyny, the marital relationship, divorce and child custody. -- Publisher description.