Rethinking Muslim Personal Law

This volume critically analyses Muslim Personal Law (MPL) in India and offers an alternative perspective to look at MPL and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) debate. Tracing the historical origins of this legal mechanism and its subsequent political manifestations it highlights the complex nature of MPL as a sociological phenomenon driven by context-specific social norms and cultural values. With expert contributions it discusses wide-ranging themes and issues including MPL reforms and human rights decoding of UCC in India the contentious Triple Talaq bill and MPL the Shah Bano case Sharia (Islamic jurisprudence) in postcolonial India women’s equality and family laws and MPL in the media discourse in India. The volume highlights that although MPL is inextricably linked to Sharia it does not necessarily determine the everyday customs and local practices of Muslim communities in India This topical book will greatly interest scholars and researchers of law and jurisprudence political studies Islamic studies Muslim Personal Law history multiculturalism South Asian studies sociology of religion sociology of law and family law. It will also be useful to practitioners policymakers law professionals and journalists.