BOOK REVIEW: Rebecca RIEDEL on Justifying transgression: Muslims, Christians, and the law – 1200 to 1700 by Gijs Kruijtzer (Comparative Legal History, 2025-1, June, pp. 122-125)

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Justifying Transgression adopts a comparative approach, focusing on Muslims and Christians across Europe and Asia between 1200–1700. Across this 500-year period, Gijs Kruijtzer reveals that individuals were very much concerned with the various different dimensions of proscribed practices. The central argument, along with its supporting strands, is both intellectually profound and straightforward. As a result, the book will appeal to historians and non-historians alike, including those without religious expertise and those unfamiliar with the law during this period. This is perhaps particularly true for those who are not familiar with the subject matter or the original source material; Kruijtzer presents the information found in the original sources in a transparent, palatable way, and guides the reader through them.

Indeed, the introduction to the text offers a valuable explanation of the worlds discussed – that is, the Persian and the Latin worlds – as well offering justification as to why they were chosen for study (1–22). As such, Justifying Transgression looks, in detail, towards three understudied – yet very much linked – transgressive acts: sodomy, idolatry, and usury. Kruijtzer explains that he chose these acts because individuals throughout the historical period explored were in search of answers as to why these particular acts were proscribed during this period. [...]

To read the full review, please click here. Online access is free for members of the European Society for Comparative Legal History.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2049677X.2025.2500195