Justice and Islamic Law: Mazalim Courts and Legal Reform

Professor Jonathan Brown, Georgetown University, gives a talk for the Middle East seminar series. Chaired by Dr Usaama al-Azami (St Antony's College). What do we do when our legal system produces results that seem unjust? If we believe that our legal system is itself just, how do we even understand our perception of its unjust outcomes? These are global questions, but ones that have been particularly vexing for Muslims and their tradition of Shariah law. This talk will discuss how Muslims have tackled this issue, in particular when confronted with the challenges of adapting or reforming God's law.