Shari’a, the framework of Islamic rules and norms, governs many aspects of human behavior. The contributors to Applying Shari’a in the West examine in depth how Muslims in the West shape their normative behavior on the basis of Shari’a and how Western societies and legal systems react thereto. With its explicit focus on social and family relations, these country and thematic studies provide a timely overview of the current state of Shari’a and outline aspects of possible future developments, studies, and policies.   

Maurits S. Berger holds the Sultan of Oman chair as professor of Islam in the contemporary West at Leiden University, and is senior research associate at the Clingendael Institute for International Relations in the Hague.