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Contemporary Islamic Legal Thought:
Law, State, and World Order

Pre-Modern Thought and Practice

The first part of the course introduces pre-modern Islamic legal thought and practice by setting out simplified schemas of ways in which in medieval times Islamic legal doctrine was made, changed, and justified; Islamic legal systems were conceptualized, organized, and operated in practice; and Islamic states understood and conducted their interactions with other states, both Muslim and non-Muslim. These schemas are used throughout the course to help trace modern transitions, innovations, or transformations.