Political Measures in the Administration of Justice in Metropolitan Sokoto, 1804 - 1837

Abstract

In every Islamic state, Shari’ah as a legal principle/system is being practiced to ensure principally that the Ummah is been safeguarded. This comes through it elements otherwise components that allows its dynamism to reflect in the administration of justice. Some of these elements include: Maslaha, Siyasat and Ta’azir. Siyasat however formed a significant aspect where legal issues are being resolved without tempering the purpose of law (Maqāsid al-Shariۥ ah). This paper examines the application of Siyasat al-Shar’iyyah in the administration of Justice in Sokoto Metropolis during its reformatory stage (1804-1837). The choice of Sokoto province was informed by the fact that, it was the headquarters of the Caliphate as a result of which Sokoto became the seat of the Caliph where all appeals and referral cases were forwarded to. This paper concluded that the principle of Siyasat al-Sharۥۥ iyyah was used as a measure in handling some judicial cases in the Caliphate only with a view to achieve the Maqāsid Shari’ah.