Sharīʿa in Africa Today

Sharīʿa in Africa Today. Reactions and Responses explores how Islamic law has influenced relations between Muslims and Christians, through a series of case studies by young African scholars working in four African countries: in Sudan where total Sharīʿa was applied until recently; in Nigeria where the Northern states re-introduced Sharīʿa courts; in Kenya where the place of Islamic courts has been contested in constitutional debates; in Tanzania where Muslims are calling for the re-introduction of Islamic courts. Each chapter is based on research carried out by the authors, topics include: relations between Muslims and Christians; how Islamic law has impacted on women; new Islamic movements and the state. It is of importance to anyone interested in the impact of Sharīʿa in Africa today.

John Chesworth, PhD (2008), University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, is currently Research Officer for Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History 1500-1900 at University of Birmingham. He has published on Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa, the use of the Qur'an and Bible in popular polemic, and Islamic courts in East Africa.

Franz Kogelmann, Dr. phil. (1997), Bayreuth University, Germany, is Academic Co-ordinator of the Institute of African Studies and Principal Investigator at Bayreuth International Graduate School (BIGSAS) at that University. He has published on Islamic endowments (waqf), Islamism in Egypt and Muslims in Sub-saharan Africa and in Europe.

'In general, then, Sharīʿa in Africa Today. Reactions and Responses is an important contribution to our understanding of the various ways in which Sharīʿa and Sharīʿa implementation get articulated in the African space of public discourse and political rivalry. It provides a rich source of new data and information that may help in formulating new questions and pointing to new areas of research on the subject'.

Alamin Mazrui, Rutgers University, in Journal of Islamic Studies, vol 27, no 3, September 2016



Though the book Sharī‘a in Africa Today uses a case study approach to explore this new phenomenon of ‘Sharī‘a debate’ arising from Islam, the quality of the contributors, and their clear language make the book remarkable to read. The various contributors offer concrete examples drawn from their research areas that demonstrate the dynamics of their reflections on Sharī‘a, Kadhi’s courts, women’s education and Christian-Muslim relations. Scholars are offered a concise and first hand understanding of these contemporary events, which otherwise could have been misinterpreted or misunderstood.

Martin A. Wullobayi, in Islamochristiana 45 (2019), pp. 430-432