Muslim and American? Straddling Islamic Law and U.S. Justice (Law and Society: Recent Scholarship)

Hanshaw explores the often competing demands that confront American Muslims from Islamic religious law and secular law. The conflict extends into many aspects of daily life, ranging from issues concerning divorce and child custody to the interpretation of contracts. The receptivity of U.S. courts to claims rooted in Islamic legal principles has been uneven, leaving Muslims in a state of uncertainty. As well, U.S. courts have often struggled to interpret Islamic law provisions. At the heart of Hanshaw's legal analysis lies the very personal question of whether weaknesses in U.S. judicial processes serve to inhibit the free and full exercise of the Islamic faith.