Islamic Institutions in Jerusalem:Palestinian Muslim Organization under Jordanian and Israeli Rule (Arab & Islamic Laws)

More than ever, political activities and agendas influence Islam in present-day Jerusalem. This publication deals with Islamic activity and Islamic institutions in East Jerusalem under Jordanian and Israeli rule from 1948 until after the peace accords between Israel, the PLO, and Jordan. After the Israeli takeover of East Jerusalem in 1967, Islamic institutions remained Jordanian organs. Islamic Institutions in Jerusalem elaborates on the strategy adopted by the Palestinians of establishing a local Palestinian Supreme Muslim Authority to serve as a political body handling Palestinian religious and national debate for the future of Jerusalem. One feature of this debate: the Jordanian-Palestinian-Israeli competence over the holy places in Jerusalem. The waqf (pious endowments) institution, in decline in many Muslim countries, has been revived under Israeli rule and has mobilized its economic resources for the political struggle. It serves as a means of preserving the Islamic character of East Jerusalem and strengthening the Muslim Arab population=s attachment to Islamic institutions. Islamic Institutions in Jerusalem offers important insights into the role of the Shari=a (Islamic law) courts in the various mechanisms developed to facilitate the adaptation of the traditional Islamic institutions to modern conditions. This topical work tackles a variety of challenging issues and is an important component in the library of any academic or practitioner in the field of Middle Eastern law.