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The orientalist claim that Islamic law derives from Roman law

دعوى أخذ الشريعة من القانون الروماني عند المستشرقين

Zaqzuq reports that most orientalists think Islamic law was influenced by Roman law to varying degrees, and names Goldziher, von Kremer and Sheldon Amos, some of whom say it is derived from Roman law. The book presents the claim in order to answer it; the museum gives no ruling.

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الدعوى

يذكر زقزوق أن معظم المستشرقين يميلون إلى القول بتأثر الشريعة الإسلامية بالقانون الروماني، على اختلاف في درجة هذا التأثير. 1 ويذكر من أصحاب القول الأشد جولد تسيهر وفون كريمر وشيلدون آموس، الذين يرون أن الشريعة مستمدة من القانون الروماني. 1 2

رد المؤلف

يرى زقزوق أن هذه الدعوى جزء من محاولات هدم أصلي الإسلام، القرآن والسنة، وأن الشك فيهما يقود إلى الشك في الإسلام من أساسه. 1 وينتقل الكتاب بعد ذلك إلى دعوى أخرى تتصل بالفلسفة الإسلامية. 2

Opinions on the question

The question: Is Islamic law derived from Roman law?

First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference

Sharia rests on its own sources, and the claim that it is taken from Roman law undermines belief in Islam's foundations

Zaqzuq treats the Roman-law claim as part of an effort to undo the Qur'an and Sunna, the two foundations of Islam, and says doubt about them spreads to Islam as a whole.

Held by: Orientalism and the Intellectual Background of the Civilisational Conflict — Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq

Basis: Orientalism and the Intellectual Background of the Civilisational Conflict — Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq PDF p. 144

More opinions (1)

Other viewOther opinion

Islamic law is derived from Roman law, to varying degrees according to its holders

The book names Goldziher, von Kremer and Sheldon Amos as holding that sharia is derived from Roman law, and quotes Amos stating it plainly. These are the author's quotations, not yet checked against the originals.

Basis: Orientalism and the Intellectual Background of the Civilisational Conflict — Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq PDF pp. 144 and 145

People and things also explored

Orientalism· The orientalist claim that the Prophet authored the Qur'an· al-Qullays (the Yemeni Kaaba)· Ahliyya (legal capacity: to have rights and duties, and to act; its stages from the womb to full maturity, and what impairs it)· Enmity and affection (al-adawa wal-mawadda)· Democracy and the Sharia — compatibility and conflict· Fatwa on the satellite channels — its benefit and harm· Secularism and Islam — conflict or concord

Sources

  1. Orientalism and the Intellectual Background of the Civilisational Conflict — Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq , p. 144
  2. Orientalism and the Intellectual Background of the Civilisational Conflict — Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq , p. 145
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The orientalist claim that Islamic law derives from Roman law”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/orientalist-claims-on-sharia-and-roman-law/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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Ideas

Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words. Related

Orientalism

Zaqzuq defines orientalism in its narrow sense as Western study of the Islamic East in its languages, history, creeds, law and civilisation. He credits it with positive work on manuscripts and editions and criticises its studies of the Qur'an, Sunna and the Prophet's life. He holds the religious motive to be its first cause, names scientific, commercial and political aims, and sorts orientalists into categories. These are the author's judgements, attributed to him.