Historical Context. Islam was originally revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in an environment of customary tribal law, not revealed law. But the Qur'an makes clear that, even in the earliest stages of the Muslim community, the Prophet had the power to command. Eventually this power was enhanced by revelation and institutionalized, especially at Madinah after 622. There, the continuing revelation of the Qur'an began to bring an increasing number of legal prescriptions or recommendations, in line with the Constitution of Madinah (622), which made the Prophet Muhammad the arbiter and judge of the whole oasis. Described as having divine origin, these laws were not challenged, and they superseded the previous customary law wherever they differed from it. Indeed, the Qur'an admonished Jews and Christians as well as Muslims to judge only according to the laws God had sent down to them (5: 44-45, 47). The...