Identity politics and Islamic law

In a recent conference entitled "Shari`a (Islamic law), Identity, and the Constitution", a group of scholars reaffirmed the identity-political nature of adherence to Shari`a. On the other hand, the scholars who spoke at the conference, including Dr. Yahia El-Gamal (no relation), Dr. M. Salim Al-`Awwa, and others, affirmed that theocracy is not known in Islam, and that Islamic states are civil/secular, even if the laws are derived from Shari`a. In this regard, the issue of objectives of the law (Maqasid al-Shari`a) again featured prominently in the discussion, suggesting that -- outside the area of theology and acts of worship -- specific rulings are not as important, and the main Islamic legal principles are identical with those underlying other human legal systems.