The maqasid al-shari’ah (higher intents and purposes of Islamic Law) have been either directly stated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah or inferred from these by a number of scholars. All of these address the raison d’être of the Shari’ah which, as recognized by almost all the jurists, is to serve the interests of all human beings and to save them from harm. In this paper Dr. Chapra explores the Islamic vision of development in relation to the maqasid al-shari’ah arguing that Islam has emphasized all the ingredients of human well-being, including the human self, faith, intellect, posterity as well as wealth, for society to flourish. For the Muslim world to focus on economic development only may in the short term result in relatively higher rates of growth but in the long-run will lead to a rise in inequities, family disintegration, juvenile delinquency, crime, and social unrest.

The maqasid al-shari’ah (higher intents and purposes of Islamic Law) have been either directly stated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah or inferred from these by a number of scholars. All of these address the raison d’être of the Shari’ah which, as recognized by almost all the jurists, is to serve the interests of all human beings and to save them from harm. In this paper Dr. Chapra explores the Islamic vision of development in relation to the maqasid al-shari’ah arguing that Islam has emphasized all the ingredients of human well-being, including the human self, faith, intellect, posterity as well as wealth, for society to flourish. For the Muslim world to focus on economic development only may in the short-term result in relatively higher rates of growth but in the long-run will lead to a rise in inequities, family disintegration, juvenile delinquency, crime, and social unrest.

This is the first book of its kind that attempts to link development with, and position it within the maqasid Shariah (objective of Shariah). It tries to show how, in the context of the maqasid Shariah, a development that is in line with the vision of Islam could be formulated and realized.

The maqasid al-shari’ah (higher intents and purposes of Islamic Law) have been either directly stated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah or inferred from these by a number of scholars. All of these address the raison d’être of the Shari’ah which, as recognized by almost all the jurists, is to serve the interests of all human beings and to save them from harm. In this paper Dr. Chapra explores the Islamic vision of development in relation to the maqasid al-shari’ah arguing that Islam has emphasized all the ingredients of human well-being, including the human self, faith, intellect, posterity as well as wealth, for society to flourish. For the Muslim world to focus on economic development only may in the short-term result in relatively higher rates of growth but in the long-run will lead to a rise in inequities, family disintegration, juvenile delinquency, crime, and social unrest.

This book takes an important step "towards the realization of the higher intents of the Islamic law". First, it opens the door towards the integration of contemporary values and worldview into the maqasid terminology. This is carried out via the sections on "the role of reason and experience in identifying maqasid". Secondly, the book gives answers to the complex theoretical questions on the role of maqasid in ijtihad, juristic theorization (usul), and the Islamization of the human, social, and physical sciences. Last, but not least, the book highlights the role and the necessity of a 'maqasid-informed' mindset on the intellectual and communal levels, and takes a pioneering futuristic look into this very important branch of Islamic knowledge.Maqasid al-Shariah (Higher Intents of the Islamic Law) is the most promising tool for the 'contemporization' of Islamic law and its philosophical foundations. It is also - as this book reveals - a promising tool for the realization of Islamic values and principles in the realms of judiciary, society, and even science.