★ 04/27/2020
Lawyer Ali-Karamali (The Muslim Next Door) explains shariah in order to “unwind stereotypes eliminat presumptions” in this illuminating study. With clarity and wit, he describes shariah’s origins, central texts, methodologies, and schools of thought, exploring something that was never a code of law, but rather a system of interpretation designed to evolve and be flexible. Ali-Karamali explains how shariah has operated over centuries—particularly the academic, legal, and social structures that supported it—and its later appropriation and transformation by colonizing powers, especially Europeans, who felt it was likely to provide an avenue for resistance. Despite the variety of postcolonial Muslim legal frameworks that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century, Ali-Karamali argues that “the shariah-based legal system that flourished for over a thousand years” is effectively gone. Rather than making comparisons to Jewish or Christian law, he effectively uses the U.S. Constitution throughout as a touchstone, prompting readers to think critically about the stereotypes of shariah that could just as easily be attributed to their own legal system, such as “outdated statements” within the Constitution that Americans don’t demand be disavowed or completely rewritten. This is a remarkably nuanced and thought-provoking history. (Aug.)
Taking something as complex as the Sharia and exploring it succinctly, lucidly, and without oversimplification is where this book excels. Well-suited—and highly recommended—for general readers (both Muslim and non-Muslim) with an interest in Sharia.”
—Booklist, Starred Review
“This is a remarkably nuanced and thought-provoking history.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“Highly recommended for readers interested in learning more about Sharia and Muslim American communities.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review
“Refreshingly, she shies away from giving a simple definition, instead characterizing Shariah as a broad and in some ways all-encompassing system of Islamic wisdom . . . Ali-Karamali’s explanation of Shariah is a useful counter to the perceptions of many in the West . . . Her book is significant in a time of continued misconceptions about Islam.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“An engaging, elegant, and accessible book on a subject everyone needs to understand. With clarity, compassion, and even humor, Sumbul Ali-Karamali explains shariah in a relatable narrative format, far from abstract, and guaranteed to resonate with those interested in separating the truth about shariah from all the myths and tall tales circulating in the public discourse.”
—Reza Aslan, author of God: A Human History
“Sumbul Ali-Karamali’s Demystifying Shariah is an extraordinary, much-needed book and a great read. It tackles a controversial and misunderstood topic: shariah and its role in Muslim life. Critically, Demystifying Shariah is based on the author’s expertise in shariah and Islamic law, as well as much of the best scholarship available today. But Ali-Karamali’s genius is her ability to tackle a controversial subject and explain it in a clear and engaging style, making the book a pleasure to read not only by policymakers and media but also an educated general public.”
—John L. Esposito, Georgetown University, author of The Future of Islam
“Sumbul Ali-Karamali is able to speak to both Muslims and others about Islam with clarity and expertise. Shariah has been demonized in the United States for nakedly political purposes in a way that Roman Catholic canon law was in the nineteenth century, and in the way that halakhah or Jewish law has been by modern anti-Semites. Ali-Karamali expertly clears away the ideological cobwebs and lays out the facts about shariah and Muslim practice, and manages to make it all a page-turner.”
—Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan, and author of Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires
“Purveyors of Islamophobia today often promote mischaracterizations of shariah in order to demonize Muslims. Sumbul Ali-Karamali’s book represents a critically important antidote to this willful ignorance. It offers the uninformed reader a helpful background in the basics of shariah relative to Muhammad and the early Islamic community before exploring the many dimensions of shariah today with laudable clarity. With dual qualifications as both a lawyer and a specialist in Islamic law, Ali-Karamali is perfectly positioned to help the public disentangle itself from the thicket of misinformation and disinformation nurtured by the latest advocates of religious intolerance.”
—Peter Gottschalk, Wesleyan University, coauthor of Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Sentiment
★ 04/01/2020
Corporate lawyer Ali-Karamali (The Muslim Next Door) turns her attention to exploring and explaining the main features of Sharia law, beginning with an outline of the scope and mechanisms for divining Sharia opinions. The second part of the book traces the historical development of Sharia from the time of the early Muslims to contemporary times. While not completely chronological, the narrative does lay bare the intricacies and flexibility imbedded in the process of uncovering Sharia. The conclusion poses the question of what we, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, are going to do about the misinformation spread by extreme groups, both Islamists and the far right. In keeping with Ali-Karamalil's background, the conclusion primarily addresses Western society. The author expands on the understanding that extreme factions, both within and outside Islam, have polarized our communities and are influencing others through fear-mongering, and gives concrete examples that their misconceptions wither under the scrutiny of academic analysis. VERDICT Ali-Karamalil's overarching message is to use analysis for decision-making and action, and she provides examples on how to do so. Highly recommended for readers interested in learning more about Sharia and Muslim American communities.—Muhammed Hassanali, Shaker Heights, OH
2020-01-16
An examination of Shariah, a concept that has been distorted in the U.S. and elsewhere in recent years.
Ali-Karamali, author of The Muslim Next Door, attempts to explain the meaning of Shariah to non-Muslims, emphasizing it as a benign and indeed beneficial trait of Islam. After a section introducing readers to basic fundamentals of Islam—e.g., Who was Muhammad? What is the Quran?—the author begins to unwrap the meaning of Shariah itself. Refreshingly, she shies away from giving a simple definition, instead characterizing Shariah as a broad and in some ways all-encompassing system of Islamic wisdom. In fact, in the introduction, she writes, “in religious terms, shariah is the path you take to quench your spiritual thirst….It’s the path you follow to be a good and righteous person. In a nutshell: shariah is the way of God.” Throughout the book, Ali-Karamali notes that Shariah, in its truest form, was and is entirely flexible and adaptable to varying cultures and conditions. It was built on generations of scholarly analysis and interpretation of the Quran and the Hadith (the words and acts of Muhammad). The author argues that for generations, Shariah promoted a healthy, fruitful civilization marked by concern for those in need, clemency, and the rights of women, among much else. She contends that Western colonization interrupted Muslim cultures, disrupting and perverting Shariah, forcing it to conform to more rigid standards found in European law. As she explains, Muslim-majority countries continue to grapple with how to rediscover the flexible, liberalizing Shariah practices of the past. Ali-Karamali’s explanation of Shariah is a useful counter to the perceptions of many in the West. Throughout, she contends that the misuse of Shariah is limited to a miniscule fraction of Muslims and that without European interference, everything from the Ayatollah Khomeini’s abuses of power to the rise of the Islamic State group could have been avoided.
Ali-Karamali may overstate the case somewhat, but her book is significant in a time of continued misconceptions about Islam.
