The author, a Muslim scholar and human rights activist, envisions a positive and sustainable role for Sharia, based on a profound rethinking of the relationship between religion and the secular state in all societies. He argues that coercive enforcement of Sharia by the state is against the Qur'an's teachings.

Introduction: why Muslims need a secular state -- Islam, the state, and politics in historical perspective -- Constitutionalism, human rights, and citizenship -- India: state secularism and communal violence -- Turkey: contradictions of authoritarian secularism -- Indonesia: realities of diversity and prospects of pluralism -- Conclusion: negotiating the future of Shariʻa.