Law as a Social Force in Islamic Culture and History

Abstract

For centuries the law has held a paramount place in the civilization and structure of the Muslim world, at least in the Islamic ideal. The prestige it has enjoyed may, indeed, be regarded as without parallel in history, for this civilization was uniquely based on religion, and the religion of Islam has always accorded a pre-eminent place to law.Nor is the reason for this pre-eminence far to seek. In the religion of Islam everything rests on divine revelation, without which man remains in a state of almost unrelieved ignorance. But, in the orthodox view, God has not revealed Himself and His nature, but rather His law.