ISLAMIC LAW (al-Shari'ah)

Islam possesses a religious law called al-Shari'ah in Arabic which governs

the life of Muslims and which Muslims consider to be the embodiment of

the Will of god. The Shari'ah is contained in principle in the Quran as

elaborated and complemented by the Sunnah. On the basis of these

principles the schools of this day were developed early in Islamic history.

This Law, while being rooted in the sources of the Islamic revelation, is a

living body of law which caters to the needs of Islamic society.

Islamic laws are essentially preventative and are not based on harsh

punishment except as a last measure. The faith of the Muslim causes him to

have respect for the rights of others and Islamic Law is such that it

prevents transgression from taking place in most instances. That is why

what people consider to be harsh punishments are so rarely in need of

being applied.