Considering that the accepted juridical sources of Islam are valid for all times and places, ijtiahd may be described as a creative but disciplined intellectual effort to derive legal rulings from those sources while taking into consideration the variables imposed by the fluctuating circumstances of Muslim society. Consigning ijtihad to be annals of history is a denial of the rationalistic, egalitarian, and humane aspects of a realistic and durable Faith. The act would be a repudiation of the requisites of changing times and of the clamoring need to rid the Ummah of its present baggage of malaise and enable it to forge ahead, inspiring other nations and communities. It can be proved historically that the Ummah only entered its current crisis after ijtihad fell into disuse and was gradually replaced by taqlid. It is only through ijtihad that Muslims will be able to construct a new specific methodological infrastructure capable of addressing the crisis of Islamic thought and so, propose alternatives for the many problems of the contemporary world. The courage that needs to accompany such a mission is tremendous, the methodology massive an meticulous. With this work, Dr Al-Alwani has contributed to the debate on this vital issue. The very way he tackled it-sometimes with boldness, sometimes with caution-shows that the debate is not an open-and shut issue, and that it needs to be widen quickly in view of the urgency of the situation.

Coloring book with brief lessons about Islam.

Fiqh is a subject that to some extent is being neglected these days with more concerted efforts taking place in the realm of aqidah (creed), and although it is undoubtedly pertinent that one learn what is permissible and not in relation to their beliefs, it is similarly important that the Muslims know what is permissible or otherwise in terms of their actions. The term fiqh is commonly translated as jurisprudence, yet the meaning of jurisprudence has been somewhat allusive to most people. Linguistically, the word fiqh means 'understanding' whereas the technical meaning applied to fiqh is that it is knowledge of the practical legal rulings derived from the detailed evidences. Of course, to many people such a classification will seem like technical legal jargon but it simply means that fiqh is knowledge of what is halal and haram in accordance with the Islamic sources of authority. The Hanbali school of legal thought was the last of the four major schools of thought to formulate its principles, and built upon the scholarship of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal it has survived and been practised for over a millennium. There were many periods in history when the Hanbalis numbered a handful, although today the school of thought seems to be making a resurgence. From amongst the long line of Hanbali scholars Muwaffaq-al-Din Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Qudama Al Maqdisi is amongst the most famous with his scholastic contributions making an impact on schools other than his own, not only in fiqh but also in aqidah. Having grown up in a religious family devoted to learning, he along with relatives would travel to Baghdad to seek knowledge already having benefitted from the scholars of Damascus (his own city) having moved there from Palestine. A contemporary of Salahuddin, he, along with his relatives took part in the great battle against the Crusaders which saw the end of their barbaric control of Jerusalem.

Various books on Usool al-Fiqh are available in English, however after reviewing them, it becomes clear that most are written for academic purposes rather than for the normal reader. In this regard, this book stands out. It was written in a clear simple style understandable to the average reader. The book is slightly restructured so that the definitive sources of law are discussed before those upon which there is disagreement amongst the scholars. In this age of doubt and scepticism, there was a necessity to add some textual evidences and much needed references for some definitions and Ahadith. It is with a feeling of regret and sorrow that today we witness Muslims, either leaving or only partially accepting Islam. Muslims have tried to mix its thoughts and values with that of other ideologies. Its laws are partially implemented along with those of other ideologies. Islam for the most part is generally known by its rituals to its followers and thus they convey it to other nations as such. However, this Deen is still Alive and intact in the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is from these two sources that we will explain the nature of Islam and fundamental elements associated with its foundation of law (Usool al-Fiqh), Insha'Allâh. The laws of Islam are of the same nature as its 'Aqeedah, in that they are both revealed by Allâh (swt). The laws neither favour the working nor the elite class in the society. These are qualities of man-made laws, which the Shari'ah transcends. Consequently, no Muslim, whether rich or poor, would feel any hesitation or regret in implementing the Islamic laws. It is with this purpose of developing a cohesive understanding of Usool al-Fiqh that this effort was put forward. Visit our eBook Store at: www.payhip.com/idpebooks Contact us at: [email protected]