Man of Law Reference library
The Oxford Companion to Chaucer
... of Law , the name usually given to the narrator of The Man of Law's Tale , who is addressed by the Host as ‘sire Man of Lawe’ (II.33), and whose tale is described by the rubric in the Ellesmere MS as ‘the Man of Lawe his tale’. However, a more precise title is given in the formal portrait devoted to him in the General Prologue (I.309–30): ‘a Sergeant of the Lawe’. This indicates that he was a lawyer of very high rank. The Sergeants formed a small and prestigious group (‘the Order of the Coif’) of experienced lawyers. His attire is, however, ‘hoomly’—a...
Man of Law's Tale, The Reference library
The Oxford Companion to Chaucer
...in the question of fate and providence and of why the innocent suffer (see I.1313–14, II.814–16). The world of The Man of Law's Tale at first seems to be ruled by the stars, then by an explicitly Christian pattern of providence. No neat philosophical resolution is offered: the central human figure is patient, but not weakly passive, she demonstrates a fortitude equal to that of Griselda. Unlike Griselda, Custance is a ‘far traveller’, and her wanderings in the rudderless boat offer an image of man's pilgrimage in the ‘thurghfare ful of wo’ (I.2846–7). Rv ,...
Man of Law
Law Reference library
An Oxford Companion to the Romantic Age
...France ( 1790 ), explicitly rejected radical interpretations of the rights of man tending to popular sovereignty. True, he wrote respectfully of Blackstone as one of ‘the great men’ of English law, and appealed at moments to the legal writings of the seventeenth-century jurists Edward Coke and Matthew Hale ( 1609–76 ). Yet Burke took pains to purge the common law tradition of the elements of Enlightenment rationalism which the Commentaries had deployed to explain and justify the constitution of civil society, and which ultimately implied accountability to...
The Reinterpretation of Islam Reference library
Āsaf A. A. Fyzee
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...law-making authority. Religion is unchangeable in its innermost kernel—the love of God for His own sake is sung by sūfīs and mystics throughout the world. If sharī‘a is the name given to this duality, then one of the forces constantly pulls in the other direction. The cognition of God is a mystery, and man is forever pursuing it. In this pursuit, all men of faith regardless of their particular religion are equal. But laws differ from country to country, from time to time. They must ever seek to conform to the changing pat-tern of society. The laws of...
The Problem of ‘Ulama’ Reference library
Alhaji Adeleke Dirisu Ajijola
Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook
...and tomorrow is for man to turn to God with single-minded purpose and make his peace with Him, having sincerely determined that in all matters, whatever, His guiding rule shall be. . . . That is why the Muslims all over the world want the application of Islamic civil law. Islamic civil law sets forth and places at man's disposal a most effective and potent means of achieving the purpose of life. It is the best of all God's numberless bounties bestowed upon man; it is indispensable for the beneficent growth of man in the epoch now...
Politics and the Muslim Woman Reference library
Benazir Bhutto
Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook
...that of a man; and if in a court of law there is evidence, then the woman's evidence will be worth half that of the man. There is no justification for this whatsoever because if the evidence of a woman is worth half that of a man, it would have been clearly stated in the Qur'an. It would not have been related to debts or loans, it would have said that in matters pertaining to legal affairs the evidence of a woman will be half that of a man, or it would have said that in the matter of murder the compensation will be half that of a man. Instead, in terms of...
Fatherland and Patriotism Reference library
Rifā ‘A Badawī and Rāfi’ Al-Tahtāwī
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...of the Sharī‘a do not go contrary to most of these natural laws. They represent the innate character which God created along with man and made obligatory for him in existence. They are like a mold formed according to his likeness and fashioned to fist him. It is as if they were written on the tablet of his heart by divine inspiration without any intermediary. Then, later, there came the holy laws of the prophets through intermediaries and books which did not render these laws void in any way, for they preceded the legislation of holy laws among the...
Chronology of a Struggle for Equal Rights Reference library
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...harm to the existing wife or wives. The law requires that the court summon the applicant and his existing wife or wives to be present at the hearing of the application. If under the new JAIS regulations consent of the existing wife is no longer needed, will this mean that she will not be consulted by the court as required by law? Clearly the reformed law saw the necessity of consultation with the existing wife. Her experiences living in the same household would assist the court in ascertaining the measure of the man and on whether he would be able to fulfil...
Nationalism and Islam Reference library
Abū-L-‘Alā’ Mawdūdī
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...right because he has no might. . . . Again an essential feature of this nationalism is that it makes man opportunist. The Sharā‘as of God are given to man to make him live by principles and relate his behaviour to permanent laws which would not alter with individual or national interests. But, unlike it, nationalism makes man unprincipled. A nationalist has no principles in the world except that he wishes the good of his nation. If the laws of ethics, injunctions of religion, and principles of culture serve his purpose he would put his faith in them gladly,...
Islam and the Challenge of Economic Development Reference library
Ahmad Khurshid
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...law of the universe which throws light on the divine model for the useful development of resources and their mutual support and sharing. It is in the context of this divine arrangement that human efforts take place. 3. Khilāfa (man's role as God's vicegerent on earth). This defines man's status and role, specifying the responsibilities of man as such, of a Muslim, and of the Muslim umma as the repository of this khilāfa . From this follows the unique Islamic concept of man's trusteeship, moral, political and economic, and the principles of social...
Dialogue Between East and West Reference library
Mohammad Khatami Ayatollah
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...man is being addressed by God on a general and universal level, and not in specific terms of religious teaching and codes of conduct, none of his psychological, social or historical aspects are really being addressed. What is addressed is man's true, non-historic and individual nature, and that is why all the divine religions are not quintessentially different. The differences arise from religious laws and codes of conduct that govern the social and judicial life of human beings. Now we must ask ourselves who is this person that is being addressed. Recounting...
Jihad in the Cause of God Reference library
Sayyid Qutb
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...it to God, and the bringing about of the enforcement of the Divine Law (Shari’ah) and the abolition of man-made laws cannot be achieved only through preaching. Those who have usurped the authority of God and are oppressing God's creatures are not going to give up their power merely through preaching; if it had been so, the task of establishing God's religion in the world would have been very easy for the Prophets of God! This is contrary to the evidence from the history of the Prophets and the story of the struggle of the true religion, spread over...
Shari‘a and Basic Human Rights Concerns Reference library
‘Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na‘im
Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook
... Examples of discrimination on grounds of gender in family and private law include the following: 48 • A Muslim man may be married to up to four wives at the same time but a Muslim woman can only be married to one man at a time. 49 • A Muslim man may divorce his wife, or any of his wives, by unilateral repudiation,...
The Necessity of Renewing Islamic Thought and Reinvigorating Religious Understanding Reference library
Nurcholish Madjid
Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook
...God would teach man all His knowledge. Neither man nor any other creature has the capacity to understand it all at once. But man still needs to know and understand to some degree the scheme of God in order to assist himself somewhat in creating a life that is coherent, harmonious, and happy. Out of His mercy, God gave man an instrument by which he could come to some understanding of these laws. That instrument is the specifically human faculty called “mind,” “reason,” or “intellect.” With that instrument the opportunity to undertake the task of developing this...
The Characteristics of Islamic Economics Reference library
Āyatullāh Mahmūd
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...the accumulation of wealth. Any kind of tyranny and transgression in reaching this goal is approved of. Consequently the way toward progress and just production and distri-bution is blocked. These two views, that of acquiring wealth for its own sake and of using wealth for base purposes, have had an effect in all areas of spiritual and material life of man, and have been the special topic of discussion by prophets and the great benefactors of mankind and especially in the cultivation of the laws of Islam. One should not only see the struggle of religious leaders...
Reforming Islam and Islamic Law Reference library
Muhammad Sa‘id Al-‘Ashmawi
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...in jihād or holy war. They believe that Islamic law is revealed from God, without making any distinction between Islamic law and Islamic jurisprudence. God, they say, knows humankind and society better than man, and God revealed Islamic law to be enforced upon man for his own benefit and that of society. This movement argues that applying Islamic law strictly would refine society, instill justice and spread prosperity. They believe that neither humanity nor society has the right to legislate themselves. Laws were already legislated by God in the Qur'ān for...
Political Theory of Islam Reference library
Mawdūdī Abū-L-‘Alā’
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...in the sphere of family life, God has prohibited the unrestricted intermingling of the sexes and has prescribed purdah , recognized man's guardianship of woman, and clearly defined the rights and duties of husband, wife and children. The laws of divorce and separation have been clearly set forth, conditional polygamy has been permitted and penalties for fornication and false accusations of adultery have been prescribed. He has thus laid down limits which, if observed by man, would stabilize his family life and make it a haven of peace and happiness....
The Principle of Movement in the Structure of Islam Reference library
Muhammad Iqbal
Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook
...The primary source of the Law of Islam is the Qur'an. The Qur'an, however, is not a legal code. Its main purpose, as I have said before, is to awaken in man the higher consciousness of his relation with God and the universe. No doubt the Qur'an does lay down a few general principles and rules of a legal nature, especially relating to the family —the ultimate basis of social life. But why are these rules made part of a revelation the ultimate aim of which is man's higher life? The answer to this question is furnished by the history of Christianity which...
Islamic Solidarity Reference library
Sayyid Jamāl and Al-Dīn Al-Afghānī
Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (2 ed.)
...of the community. Thus, in truth, the ruler of the Muslims will be their religious, holy, and divine law which makes no distinction among peoples. This will also be the summary of the ideas of the nation. A Muslim ruler has no other privilege than that of being the most ardent of all in safeguarding the sacred law and defending it. In safeguarding the rights and the protection of people, of property, and of reputations, the lawgiver has not taken any account of lineage, nor of ancestral privilege. Moreover, any bond, with the exception of the bond of...
