"Toward an Islamic Reformation" calls for reform of the historical formulations of Islamic law, commonly known as Shari'a, which is perceived by many Muslims to be part of the Islamic faith. As a Muslim, Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im is sensitive to and appreciative of the delicate relationship between Islam as a religion and Islamic law, but he nevertheless considers that the questions raised here must be resolved if the public law of Islam is to be implemented today. By reliable estimates, the world's Muslim population numbers over 830 million. While sociological and religious majority does not necessarily translate into political majority, recent trends indicate that Muslim majorities are becoming politically assertive. Given the reality of the nation-state in an increasingly interdependent and interactive world, the author focuses on the implications of the modern application of Shari'a to constitutional law, criminal justice, international law, and human rights.
In recognition of the need for balance between competing Muslim and non-Muslim rights to self-determination as well as the necessity to maintain Islamic legitimacy for the proposed reforms, An-Na'im provides an Islamic rationale for both the objectives of reform and the methodology to be used in achieving those objectives. This reinterpretation of the nature and meaning of Islamic public law is based on the teachings of Mahomoud Mohamed Taha, especially his "Second Message of Islam". An-Na'im, however, goes beyond Taha's general principles to lay out a concrete description and analysis of the implications of those principles as they directly apply to Islamic public law.