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the theory of limits 191much tolerance in what is perceived to be normal, that is, we tolerateblood sugar levels within the range of 70 to 120 mg because webelieve that if we insisted on a strict limit of just 70 mg as the onlyacceptable level of blood sugar we would seriously risk the health ofmillions of people. Doctors all over the world know that 70 mg isjust the lower limit and that blood sugar levels of up to 120 mg (theupper limit) can be tolerated.The legal verses of the Book provide us with the legislative frameworkwithin which we may adopt the new laws required by socialchange. A framework of legislation does not contain, as many believe,certain penalties which turn into ‘sources of law’, but just their outpostsor, to use a football term, their sidelines. In some legal casesone may not even come near such sidelines, in others it is permittedto touch the line without fully stepping over it. Analogous to a footballmatch, Islamic law allows movement over the entire footballfield. Sidelines only indicate the limits within which the game canbe played while still allowing millions of different ways to play thegame and of applying different tactics and strategies. Islamic lawafter MuÈammad’s (ß) messengerhood requires legislation within thelimits of Allah, allowing an unlimited number of different legislationsaccording to the needs of society. That is why MuÈammad’s (ß) messengerhoodis called ‘mother of the book’ (umm al-kit§b) and not just‘book’—as Moses’ and Jesus’ messengerhoods were called—becauseit allows millions of ‘books’ of legislations to be derived from it. Andas the ‘mother of the book’ abrogated the previous books of Mosesand Jesus, so will future legislations (‘books’) subsequently abrogateeach other (not, of course, within weeks or months as some of ourcritics have insinuated).Limits of Legislation5.Lower limitLower limits are provided in:A. The verses of marriage:And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what ispast: It was shameful and odious—an abominable custom indeed.( Al-Nis§" 4:22)