'One of the best, most original and liveliest books on the subject I have ever read . The author does what few writers on the subject are able to do. She goes beyond the classical text-books of fiqh, and asks how law is actually interpreted, administered and used in Muslim societies.'_x000D_- Albert Hourani _x000D_ _x000D_Mir-Hosseini focuses on the dynamics of marriage and its breakdown, as well as the way in which litigants manipulate the law in order to resolve marital disputes and child custody cases. Taking an inter-disciplinary approach which straddles law, anthropology sociology and women's studies, Mir-Hosseini shows how women can turn even the most patriarchal elements of Islamic law to their advantage and achieve their personal marital aims.