The primary place of law in Islam as well as the preponderance of the "legal" over the "theological" in Muslim thinking has long been recognized by both Muslim jurisprudents and by Western legal scholars. At a time when Islamic fundamentalism is flourishing, the relation of religion in and to law-related behaviour needs to be scrutinized. This volume considers Middle Eastern law as practiced by Muslims in Middle Eastern nations. Dispute settlement, the interaction of court personnel with litigants, the content of legislation, and the promulgation of public policies about law are detailed here as well as the power dynamics of law's interpersonal, intergroup, and international sides. Focusing on the specifics of contemporary politics and social life, the volume provides a baseline for understanding how, and the degree to which, the legal principles and the legal ethos elaborated in Islam centuries ago continue to provide a model for legal behaviour and thinking today.