Customary and Shari'ah Law in Arabian Society

The society and legal systems of Southern Arabia, both ancient and modern, form the subject of this second collection of articles by Professor Serjeant. His approach has been to make a detailed study of modern social structures and legal customs and to relate these to what we know of ancient society and law. The traditional tribal society of the region, he argues, has preserved in its customary law and practice a very great deal that derives directly from the pre-Islamic period,...
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The society and legal systems of Southern Arabia, both ancient and modern, form the subject of this second collection of articles by Professor Serjeant. His approach has been to make a detailed study of modern social structures and legal customs and to relate these to what we know of ancient society and law. The traditional tribal society of the region, he argues, has preserved in its customary law and practice a very great deal that derives directly from the pre-Islamic period, whereas the shari'ah, the law of Islam, though stemming from the same sources, has often diverged significantly from it. An understanding of the modern situation, therefore, is of immediate relevance to the interpretation of pre- and early-Islamic society. Among the particular topics covered are the interplay between tribal affinities and religious authority, marriage legislation and the "Frankish chancre" or (syphilis), and maritime customary law. From an ethnographic viewpoint, furthermore, these studies record peoples and lifestyles that have been increasingly overwhelmed by contemporary events. Les sociétés et les systèmes juridiques de l'Arabie du Sud, moderne et ancienne, sont le thème de ce recueil d'articles par le professeur Serjeant. Il aborde le sujet avec une étude des structures sociales modernes, ainsi que du droit coutumier, puis les rattache à ce qui est connu de la société et du droit anciens. La société tribale traditionnelle de la région, affirme-t'il, a conservé un grand nombre d'us et coutumes trouvant des origines directes au cours de la période pre-islamique, alors que le droit de l'Islam, le shari'ah, bien qu'issu des mêmes sources, s'en éloigne de façon significative. Le fait de comprendre la situation moderne a donc un rapport immédiat avec toute interprétation de la société islamique à ses débuts. Parmi les thèmes spécifiques que couvre l'auteur, se trouvent le droit marital et le "chancre" franc (syphilitique), le droit