Islam, Law and the State in Southeast Asia

This volume traces the development of a unique 'Anglo-Malay madhhab' in these states, initially by colonial and latterly by successor states. In Malaysia and Brunei, shari'ah has been filtered through Anglo-common law state institutions, creating a hybrid 'Anglo-Muslim' mixture of legal doctrines. Malaysia and Brunei both apply a complex hybrid body of positive law to their Malay Muslim majorities. This volume traces the development of a unique 'Anglo-Malay madhhab' in these states, initially by colonial and latterly by successor states. In Malaysia and Brunei, shari'ah has been filtered through Anglo-common law state institutions, creating a hybrid 'Anglo-Muslim' mixture of legal doctrines. This system of jurisprudence makes only very limited reference to the classical shari'ah but draws heavily on the secular English common law and its legal traditions, procedures and principles. In post-colonial times, this system has not been accepted without resistance and this volume considers the impact of colonial and successor states on the development of legal institutions and systems of Malaysia and Brunei.

Through a detailed account of positive law and related religious and social institutions, Lindsey and Steiner explore the balance that the Singaporean government seeks to maintain between its obligations to an indigenous Muslim minority and the needs of its majority non-Muslim immigrant community. The substantive regulations and legal institutions through which the state manages the religions of its Malay minority in contemporary Singapore are the focus of this volume. Through a detailed account of positive law and related religious and social institutions, Lindsey and Steiner explore the balance that the Singaporean government seeks to maintain between its obligations to an indigenous Muslim minority and the needs of its majority non-Muslim immigrant community.