The effort to appreciate different legal traditions must begin with locating shared values. One value common to both the western and Islamic legal traditions is the rule of law. European and Islamic history informs us that when the rule of law is strong, other virtues, including human rights, civil society, and economic growth, are more likely to thrive. I propose a conception of the rule of law that acknowledges both western and Islamic legal history and norms, and can provide a framework for discourse and understanding between the two legal cultures.