[PERIODICALS / ISLAMIC LAW IN FRENCH ERA / EGYPT / ALGERIA / TUNISIA / NORTH AFRICA] Revue Internationale de Legislation et de Jurisprudence Musulmanes. 1re Annee. 1er Mai 1895 - 1er Janvier et 1er Fevrier 1896. Nos 1-10. (First 10 issues)

CLAVEL, EUGENE (1859-1915).

Imprimerie Centrale J. Barbier, Le Caire, 1895-1896.

Quarter brown calf; spine with six raised bands, the second and fourth compartments lettered in gilt with title and date. Roy. 8vo. (24.5 × 16 cm). In French. [2], 320 pp. Slight wear to the head of the spine; some discoloration to the boards; corners bumped; a small blank label at the foot of the spine; internally clean. Overall, a very good collection.

The rare first 10 issues (of 24) of this significant periodical sought to synthesize Islamic law (Sharia/Fiqh) as administered in the courts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and Egypt with the emerging hybrid European-Islamic jurisprudence. The journal provides a comprehensive record of these hybrid legal systems and their court decisions, making it one of the most important primary sources for analysing the practical application and evolution of Islamic law in Egypt under French influence and the Maghreb during the French colonial era.

“An interesting collection of European-Muhammadan case law” (Vesey & Fitzgerald).

The content of this short-lived periodical, which served as the foundation for the author’s later seminal work Droit Musulman (1895), is grounded in practical legal applications and court rulings rather than purely theoretical discussions. At a time when the French administration struggled to grasp the complexities of traditional waqf (endowment) lands while regulating property rights in Algeria and Tunisia, Clavel provided detailed legal analyses of waqf institutions, including the distinction between khayri and zhurri endowments, the administration of waqf assets, and the legal transferability of such properties. Beyond waqf law, the journal addresses key areas of Islamic jurisprudence, including Personal Status and Family Law (marriage and divorce, Farâîz or inheritance law), Comparative Law and Jurisprudence (court decisions with commentary), and Criminal and Obligations Law.

Each issue generally consisted of three principal sections: Doctrines, featuring substantial articles by prominent orientalists and jurists; Chronique Judiciaire (Legal Chronicle), presenting summaries and analyses of significant cases concluded during the month; and Bibliographies, offering introductions and critiques of newly published works relating to Islamic law and the Eastern world.

Practicing as an attorney before the Mixed Courts of Egypt, Clavel sought to demonstrate that Islamic law should be understood by European judges and administrators not merely as a theoretical religious corpus, but as a functioning legal system in practice.

The most productive period of Clavel’s career was spent in Cairo. During this time, Egypt possessed a complex hybrid legal structure shaped both by Ottoman legal traditions and by the strong diplomatic presence of Britain and France. Within this environment, Clavel undertook detailed studies aimed at addressing the inconsistencies between the French Civil Code and Islamic fiqh.

As of March 2026, OCLC shows only eight records, only one of which is located in a US library (Harvard Law School Library).