UCLA Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law

In the popular imagination, Somalia conjures images of civil war, terrorism, piracy—in short, chaos. It is one of the last places one would expect to be a laboratory for rule of law. Shari’a, Inshallah upends that stereotype by showing how law and religion play an active and central role in building stability, and rule of law, in the country. In particular, it shows how law and religion interweave in shaping Somali political history, and how Shari'a has been an unavoidable force in building legitimancy for Somalia's political actors. Every political actor and participant in civil society has had to contend with Shari'a in order to assert legitimacy, drive political programs and agendas, advocate for rights, rule, and resist. Although Shari’a, Inshallah focuses on the Somali experience, it carries lessons for the greater Muslim World.