'Our understanding of the nature, function and development of Islamic law has greatly increased and improved in recent decades. Building on their deep knowledge of the field, Peters and Bearman have conceived and collected an excellent book: comprehensive in its treatment without getting lost in details, incisive in the perspectives it provides without falling into easy discrediting of past research, stimulating in both its positive evaluations and its criticisms, and more importantly, paving the way to the future by the careful and balanced assessment of where we stand.' Maribel Fierro, Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Spain 'Any student of Islamic law - past, present, or future - will want to keep this lucid, authoritative, and comprehensive Research Companion close at hand.' David S. Powers, Cornell University, USA 'This is currently the most up-to-date survey of Islamic law available. The authors are all knowledgeable and take pains to cover their subject clearly and thoroughly. While the coverage is thorough, what is most useful is the full engagement with current scholarship. The reader will learn a great deal about both Islamic law and its study from this helpful, lucid, and well-conceived book.' A. Kevin Reinhart, Dartmouth College, USA