Madkhal li Darasat al-'Aqidah al-Islamiyyah - Dr. 'Uthman

A contemporary study of the assessment of The Shari'ah and its formation. This is introductory text usually utilised in modern academia in the Middle East.  The book opens up with assessment of the formation of fiqh through the understanding of the Shari'ah. Some of the area the shaykh assess are;

- The Arab peninsula prior to Islam as a society and their theories; In this section he assess the understanding and the rules of Nikah, Wills, Inheritance, Mu'amalat etc.

- The Shari'ah; its description and its articles,

- The Fiqh al-Islami;

- The relations of the Shari'ah with previous laws,

and so on....  

This book is perhaps of the three best books written on the subject in modern times.