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The Principle of the Rule of Law in Early Islam
When the Islamic empire emerged in the seventh century, it faced a twofold challenge: socializing its population to commit to a unified state that curtailed previous freedoms while subjecting itself to the requirement to adhere to the teachings of the religion through which it legitimized itself. In this presentation, I argue that this dual challenge crystallized in a debate about the rule of law that emerged as early as the first generation of Islam. The debate produced a distinctly constitutional political theory that came to structure classical Islamic law.
Date:
26 February 2026, 12:00
Venue:
Venue to be announced
Speaker:
Professor Ahmed El-Shamsy (University of Chicago)
Organising department:
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
Organiser contact email address:
academic.office@oxcis.ac.uk
Part of:
Thinking Justice in Muslim Societies
Booking required?:
Not required
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Moin Nizami
