New from Princeton University Press:
On British Islam: Religion, Law, and Everyday Practice in Shariʿa Councils, by John R. Bowen (Washington University, St. Louis.). A description from the Press:
On British Islam examines the history and everyday workings of
Islamic institutions in Britain, with a focus on shariʿa councils.
These councils concern themselves with religious matters, especially
divorce. They have a higher profile in Britain than in other Western
nations. Why? Taking a historical and ethnographic look at British
Islam, John Bowen examines how Muslims have created distinctive
religious institutions in Britain and how shariʿa councils interpret and
apply Islamic law in a secular British context.
Bowen
focuses on three specific shariʿa councils: the oldest and most
developed, in London; a Midlands community led by a Sufi saint and
barrister; and a Birmingham-based council in which women play a leading
role. Bowen shows that each of these councils represents a prolonged,
unique experiment in meeting Muslims' needs in a Western country. He
also discusses how the councils have become a flash point in British
public debates even as they adapt to the English legal environment.
On British Islam
highlights British Muslims' efforts to create institutions that make
sense in both Islamic and British terms. This balancing act is rarely
acknowledged in Britain—or elsewhere—but it is urgent that we understand
it if we are to build new ways of living together.
A few blurbs:
"In On British Islam, John Bowen’s careful work, informed by
anthropological insight and a comparative perspective, puts paid to
oversimple stories of a clash of civilizations. Bowen shows that
attempts by British Muslims to reach convergence with the wider society
have varied, and often successful, results, and how these have been
influenced by cultural characteristics unique to Britain versus other
European nations. This is essential reading for anyone interested in
issues of social integration." -- Charles Taylor
"Understanding
how Muslims can be accommodated in European liberal societies has
become an ever more urgent issue, and the topic of shari’a law in
particular has been a focus of popular anxieties for nearly a decade.
Based on rare access to British shari’a council proceedings and archives
of cases, On British Islam combines original source material
with John Bowen’s expertise as a leading scholar of Islamic law. This
elegant book is an invaluable resource and much-needed gold standard for
future scholarship on Muslims and Islam in liberal societies." -- Maleiha Malik
More information is available
here.
