The Future of Shari'aThere are many competing, legitimate views about Shari`a. The Qur'an and Sunna of the Prophet are immutable texts, but every interpretation of Shari`a is an exercise in human judgment. Thus, those interpretations should not go unchallenged because every judgment represents some human fallibility.
Consider the prevalence of human interpretation in the following example: Historically, ijtihad has been exercised where the Qur'an and Sunna do not provide express ruling; but just as ijtihad is an exercise in human judgment, so is determining where the texts govern a specific issue. Thus, all interpretations and implementations of the Sunna and the Qur'an are the result of human interpretation in a specific historical context - not a specific decree by the divine will of God.
The general canon of Shari`a is that Muslims are guaranteed freedom of action or omission unless there is a contravention of Islamic principles in those actions or omissions. Change is possible. But that change must be rooted in each Muslim community so that a new consensus may form, and any reform must not contradict the tenets of Islam.