The Renewal of Islamic Law: Muhammad Baqer as-Sadr, Najaf and the Shi'i International (Cambridge Middle East Library, Series Number 29)

This Is The First Comprehensive Study Of The Life And Works Of Muhammad Baqer As-sadr - An Iraqi Scholar Who Made An Important Contribution To The Renewal Of Islamic Law And Politics In The Contemporary Middle East. Executed In 1980 By The Regime Of Saddam Hussein, Sadr Was The Most Articulate Thinker As Well As A Major Political Actor In The Revival Of Shi'i Learning, Which Placed Najaf In Southern Iraq At Its Centre. Dr Chibli Mallat Examines In Depth The Intellectual Development Of Sadr And His Companions, Who Included Ayatollah Ruhullah Al-khumaini. He Assesses How Sadr Reformed The System Of Religious Education And Developed Innovative Approaches To The Key Areas Of Study Of Law, Economics And Banking. The Author Convincingly Demonstrates How Sadr's Ideas And Activities Were Influential In The Rise Of Political Islam Across The Middle East, Particularly In Countries With Strong Shi'i Constituencies Such As Iran, Iraq And Lebanon, And Played An Important Part In The Iranian Revolution Of 1979. Given The Renewed Interest In Islam As A Religious, Political And Social Phenomenon, This Is A Most Timely Book And Will Be Widely Read By Students And Specialists Of Law, Economics And The Politics Of The Middle East As Well As Of The History Of Ideas. General Introduction: The Law In The Islamic Renaissance And The Role Of Muhammad Baqer As-sadr -- Pt. I. Islamic Law And The Constitution. 1. Archetypes Of Shi'i Law. 2. On The Origins Of The Iranian Constitution: Muhammad Baqer As-sadr's 1979 Treatises. 3. The First Decade Of The Iranian Constitution: Problems Of The Least Dangerous Branch -- Pt. Ii. Islamic Law, 'islamic Economics', And The Interest-free Bank. 4. Law And The Discovery Of 'islamic Economics'. 5. Muhammad Baqer As-sadr And Islamic Banking -- Conclusion: The Costs Of Renewal. Chibli Mallat. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 228-242) And Index. Frontmatter Acknowledgments (page viii) Note on transliteration and dates (page ix) General introduction: The law in the Islamic Renaissance and the role of Muhammad Baqer as-Sadr (page 1) Part I Islamic law and the constitution Introduction to Part I (page 23) 1 Archetypes of Shi'i law (page 28) 2 On the origins of the Iranian constitution: Muhammad Baqer as-Sadr's 1979 treatises (page 59) 3 The first decade of the Iranian constitution: problems of the least dangerous branch (page 79) Part II Islamic law, 'Islamic economics', and the interest-free bank Introduction to Part II (page 111) 4 Law and the discovery of 'Islamic economics' (page 113) 5 Muhammad Baqer as-Sadr and Islamic banking (page 158) Conclusion: The costs of renewal (page 188) Notes (page 190) Bibliography (page 228) Index (page 243)

This is the first comprehensive study of the life and works of Muhammad Baqer as-Sadr - an Iraqi scholar who made an important contribution to the renewal of Islamic law and politics in the contemporary Middle East. Executed in 1980, Sadr was the most articulate thinker and a major political actor in the revival of Shi'i learning, which placed Najaf in Southern Iraq at its centre. Dr Chibli Mallat examines the intellectual development of Sadr and his companions who included Ruhullah al-Khumaini and assesses Sadr's innovative approaches to the study of law, economics and banking. The author convincingly demonstrates how Sadr's ideas and activities were influential in the rise of political Islam across the Middle East and played an important part in the Iranian revolution of 1979.