The Qur'an and the Just Society

What is justice? How can it be realised within society? These are universal concerns and are central to the primary scripture of Islam, the Qur’an. Utilising a pioneering theological and hermeneutic framework adapted from both classical Muslim literature and contemporary academic studies of the Qur’an, Ramon Harvey explores the underlying principles of its system of social justice. Dividing his book into four parts, he covers Qur’anic Ethics, Political Justice (politics, peace, war), Distributive Justice (fair trade, alms, marriage, inheritance) and Corrective Justice (public and private crimes). His reading of the Qur’an reconstructs the text as normatively engaging these spheres of justice in their socio-historical context and lays the foundations for future contemporary articulations of Qur’anic ethics.

• Provides a new reading of the Qur’an’s ethical world view
• Proposes an original methodology for understanding Qur’anic ethics in the light of Islamic theology
• Highlights passages of the Qur’an that reveal new depth when connected to the broader thematic structure of Qur’anic justice
• Broaches a conversation between Qur’anic ethics and wider theological and philosophical discourse
• Develops a natural law reading of social justice themes in the Qur’an