Narratives of Truth in Islamic Law

‘What Happened?’ addresses the thorny issue of truth in law, within the context of Muslim societies. The truth, in legal terms, is the version of 'what happened' which carries most authority. This original and thought-provoking book looks at how this narrative is constructed in Muslim societies, and which truths are privileged over others in constructing it. In marriage courts in Egypt for example the truth is deemed to be a version of events that is acceptable to both parties. Looking at a range of contrasting case studies, from Sharia courts to inquiries into police abuse, this book book explores how ordinary stories are transformed into authoritative truths. The case studies are situated in the framework of wider debates about truth, law and power in Middle Eastern societies.

Baudouin Dupret Barbara Drieskens This book addresses the issue of legal truth.
Such an issue is two folded. On the one hand, there is the legal truth as it is told,
produced, transformed and made relevant for legal purposes, from within the
legal system and its actual functioning. The ways in which these stories about '
what happened' are told largely depend on and are oriented to, the relevancies
and technicalities of the specific context of law practice. On the other hand, legal
truth is ...