Ijtehad as a Conceptual Piller in Islam and the Efforts of Its Maintenance‎

Abstract

Through the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Allah gave us instructions for daily living. For those contemporary problems for which the Quran and Sunnah do not provide a solution, we require Ijtihad. The Holy Prophet's (PBUH) Ijtihad method has been our guide. The freedom of ideas and opinions is the first step towards achieving ijtihad. The life of our Holy Prophet (PBUH) enables us to understand how, when, and for what purposes he instructed his companions (may Allah bless them all) in Ijtihad and the value of freedom of thought and opinion. We refer to the period of time known as Khulfae Rashdeen as the time when the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) allowed freedom of thought and opinion. ‎We understand the significance of these teachings and the reasons that Ijtihad requires the independence of thoughts and opinions. We have discovered numerous instances throughout Islamic history that demonstrate the teachings of Ijtihad and viewpoint freedom. The greatest example of intellectual freedom in Islamic history may be seen during the time of the Holy Prophet and Khulfae Rashdeen, especially under Hadrat Umer Farooq's caliphate (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho). He served as a model of free speech for the good of society. In addition, Allama Iqbal discussed the independence of thinking in his poetry and Ijtihad lectures. The fundamental requirement for Ijtihad is the freedom of opinions; without this, Ijtihad would not be feasible. Ijtihad requires a setting free from restraints so that people can speak freely and honestly while also fostering a sense of tolerance in those listening. The life of the holy prophet, his associates, and the Aima Karam era that followed are the best examples of thought freedom that we could find. Although a person's Ijtihad opinions are not restricted by Islam, they also shouldn't conflict with Islamic principles.‎