A dispersed scholarly community, not any state, anchors Shari’a’s rule of law.

Evidence

Historically, however, Islam (itself a vastly cosmopolitan product of its many contexts) has of course always been integral to what is inevitably (but always with reservation) referred to as “Muslim societies” but never definitive to them. Over the past 200 years, the Orientalist project has reduced these multifaceted societies to Islam, and Islam to Islamic law (Shari’ah). — Hamid Dabashi, Brown Skin, White Masks, 424 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Shari’a law is heterogeneous divine scripture, not a uniform legal code — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 305; Shariʿa law was an ongoing act of discovering rather than receiving divine commands — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism: A Critique of…, 162; Schacht’s verdict of Shari’a stagnation described colonialism’s damage, not Islamic law’s nature. — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism: A Critique of…, 752 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• The Orientalist project reduced Muslim societies to Islam and Islam to Shari’ah #complicates (0.72) — Hamid Dabashi, Brown Skin, White Masks, 424