ijtihad
1
9.9
- noun
- /ɪdʒtɪˈhɑːd/
- Formal
:
ijtihad
- The process of ijtihad allows scholars to derive new legal rulings directly from the Koran and Hadith.
- independent ijtihad
- ijtihad interpretation
Examples
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By the time of Islam's fall to the West in the 15th century, ijtihad had been abandoned by the Sunni Muslim establishment.
Academic text (1995) -
Shiites take pride in the relative freedom of their religious specialists to employ independent reasoning (ijtihad) in such matters.
Academic text (2007) -
A first step would be to reopen ijtihad.
Blog text (27) -
Historically, the decline of Islamic science is associated with the closing of the door to ijtihad.
Academic text (1995) -
Ijtihad is one of the five sources of Islamic jurisprudence.
Academic text (1995) -
As for independent judgment, many Sunni scholars deem ijtihad closed in the eleventh century.
Academic text (2007) -
She has argued that ijtihad is compatible with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Academic text (2004) -
This will require not only renewed ijtihad (interpretation) but also the confidence of American Muslims to overcome Islamist and radical Wahhabist attempts to label any effort to separate religion and government as bid'a (illegitimate invention).
Academic text (2008) -
The concept of ijtihad emphasizes the importance of independent reasoning in Islamic law.
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In contemporary debates, many argue that ijtihad is essential for adapting Islamic principles to modern issues.
How Independent
- Formal
1
9.9
- Jargon
314
4.4
- Formal
2
9.9
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ijtihad comes from the Arabic ijtihād, built on the root j-h-d which means 'to strive' or 'work hard'. So ijtihad is like a scholar's 'striving'—the careful effort and reasoning to make new legal rulings, which is why it means independent interpretation of Islamic law.