CSS Solved Islamiat Past Papers | Write a Note on the Following: Ijtihad and The Importance of Epistles of Hazrat Ali
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A- Ijtehad
Outline
1- Introduction
2- The literal meaning of Ijtihad
3- The significance of Ijtehad according to the Quran
- ✓Surah Nisa, verse 83 signifies the importance of Ijtihad
4- The importance of Ijtihad according to the Holy Prophet(PBUH)
- ✓Hazrat Muaz bin Jabal’s reply on ijtehad to Holy Prophet(PBUH)
5- Practice of Ijtihad in the reign of Khulafa al-Rashideen
- ✓Ijtehad by hazrat Abu Bakar(R.A)
- ✓Ijtehad by hazrat Umar(R.A)
- ✓Ijtehad by hazrat Usman(R.A)
- ✓Ijtehad by hazrat Ali(R.A)
6- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The Quran and the Sunnah are the primary sources of Islamic law, with Ijtihad coming in second. According to the fiqh, Ijtihad refers to an endeavour to enhance the ability to ascertain the Shariah ruling regarding a novel situation in light of the Quran and Sunnah. Through the practice of Ijtihad, Islam enables Muslims to adapt to changing circumstances and improve society continuously. The essential principles are provided by the Quran, and Muslim scholars are required to interpret these principles sensibly in the context of the Quran and Sunnah, taking into account the spirit of the times in which we live. Regarding legal sources, the Sunnah comes in second, and Ouran is first. The rule of interpretation is crucial when there is silence on the subjects covered by the revealed sources of law. Thus, Ijtihad is acknowledged as a source of Islamic law in addition to the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The literal meaning of Ijtihad
In its literal sense, “ijtihad” refers to the act of striving, exerting oneself, self-endeavouring, or attempting to derive a principle and exert oneself maximally. From a legal perspective, however, it alludes to the extraordinary measures taken by jurists to derive norms and legal principles from data found in sacred texts and other sources. Ijtihad is the practice of using one’s judgment or opinion in a legal context. This implies that without any explicit or implicit Divine decrees, one should decide what is more by reason and taste, justice and truth, or analogous to other Islamic laws, and then carry that decision out.
The significance of Ijtehad according to the Quran
Surah An-Nisa’ 83 is a specific verse that promotes searching out information in order to make decisions:
اور جب ان کے پاس امن یا خوف کی کوئی خبر پہنچتی ہے تو اس کو مشہور کردیتے ہیں اور اگر اس کو پیغمبر اور اپنے سرداروں کے پاس پہنچاتے تو تحقیق کرنے والے اس کی تحقیق کر لیتے اور اگر تم پر خدا کا فضل اور اس کی مہربانی نہ ہوتی تو چند اشخاص کے سوا سب شیطان کے پیرو ہوجاتے
And if any tidings, whether of safety or fear, come unto them, they noise it abroad, whereas if they had referred it to the messenger and to such of them as are in authority, those among them who are able to think out the matter would have known it. If it had not been for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, ye would have followed Satan, save a few (of you).
In Arabic, “to such other persons as are in authority” (Ulul Amri) refers to men who can obtain information or occupy positions of authority. Thus, the Quran encourages Ijtihad; however, it also states that this role should be carried out by the Prophet and all amr, or men endowed with authority, power, wisdom, and understanding.
The importance of Ijtihad according to the Holy Prophet(PBUH)
Beyond the Quran and the Sunnah, Ijtihad is the primary source of Islamic law. The significance of Ijtihad was emphasized above all by the Prophet Muhammad. In the well-known and renowned hadith, Muaz bin Jabal is named Governor of Yemen; the Prophet asked him: “0 Muaz, by what rule would you be guided?”. He responded with “By the Law of the Quran”. “But if you find no direction therein?” the Prophet inquired. “Then I will act according to the Sunnah of the Prophet,” Muaz responded.
“What if that doesn’t help?” he was asked again. “I will act based on my judgment,” he replied. The Prophet praised and appreciated God by saying, “Praise be to Allah, who guides the Messenger of His Apostle as He pleases.” The Prophet’s support for the idea of Ijtihad is evident in this hadith. It also shows how the Prophet’s companions were aware of the concept of Ijtihad and freely applied it in response to shifting conditions. Later, in an attempt to adjust to the changing social and historical context, companions embraced the concept of Ijtihad, and their efforts paid off.
- ✓Practice of Ijtihad in the reign of Khulafa al-Rashideen
The selection of Abu Bakr as the first caliph was the most significant decision made by the Companions, and many of the arguments put forth at that time impacted early fuqaha. For instance, in his speech to the populace, Abu Bakr declared that the caliphate had to be established to safeguard and establish the din since the Prophet Muhammad (SWT) had died. The fuqaha made similar arguments when debating the necessity of the caliphate.
- ✓Ijtehad by Hazrat Abu Bakar(R.A)
Abu Bakr made a number of significant decisions that the fuqaha followed during his rule as caliph (11–13H). Examining the Companions’ evidence against the Zakat-refusing groups is crucial to understanding their reasoning and application of al-ra’y. A few Companions opposed Abu Bakr’s plan to use force, saying that it was unacceptable because these groups accepted Muhammad as Allah’s messenger and that there was no other god but Allah. In response, Abu Bakr used the same hadith to support his position, emphasizing the last line: “Unless they do acts that are punishable by Islam.”
- ✓Ijtehad by Hazrat Umar(R.A)
‘Umar b. al-Khattab, the second caliph (r. 13–23 H), made extensive use of his judgment. In addition to influencing legislation, his decisions, or Ijtihad hi al-ra’y, also affected social, economic, and public administrative issues. An obvious example of ‘Umar’s Ijtihad is his view of the proper course of action for intoxicated individuals. The application of al-ra’y led to the punishment being increased from forty to eighty lashes. Interestingly, hadd al-qadhf, the person who suggested the eighty lashes, gave Ali his instructions, stating that “a person gets drunk when he drinks wine, and when he is drunk, he speaks nonsense and slanders.” The punishment for slander is eighty lashes. As a result, drinking alcohol should carry the same penalties. The analogy that Ali had offered was accepted by Umar and the other Companions. The fuqaha approached all substances that cause intoxication using the same reasoning.
- ✓Ijtehad by Hazrat Usman(R.A)
Until they took the initiative to apply reason and make the right decisions, the Rashideen caliphs found it challenging to deal with problems that arose in a developing society. Both ‘Usman b. ‘Affan and ‘Ali b. Abi Talib partially adhered to the general pattern of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. The most significant decision made by ‘Usman was to preserve the Qur’an according to the dialects that the Prophet (SAAS) approved. Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman informed ‘Usman that the permission generated discord among Muslim forces during their expedition to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Therefore, the caliph appointed a commission headed by Zayd bin Sabit to standardize Qur’anic calligraphy in the Qureshite dialect, thereby averting any possible problems.
- ✓Ijtehad by Hazrat Ali(R.A)
Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph (35-40H), had a solid understanding of Islam. The fuqaha generally mentions his judgments in individual cases. He applied his own al-ra’y to judicial cases. Some of his judicial decisions had significant social impact and were weighed by the Fuqaha as well. According to Ibn Qayyim and Abu Dawud, Ali believed that if a poor person borrows money from a rich person and fails to repay it on time due to poverty, they should not face punishment or imprisonment. ‘Ali believes that punishing the poor is unjust and unfair in such cases. Whenever a moneylender presented a case to ‘Ali, he never arrested the poor man with no assets. Moneylenders may claim the debtor had money but kept it hidden to avoid legal action. ‘Ali would release the debtor after he swore he owed nothing. Furthermore, if moneylenders threaten or pressure a poor man to repay their debt. Ali intervened and protected him from the moneylenders.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, after the Quran and Sunnah, Ijtihad is the primary source of Islamic law. The primary distinction between divine revelation and prophetic law, having ended with the death of the Prophet and the ongoing development of Ijtihad, is what sets it apart from the revealed sources of the Shariah. The practice of Ijtihad was evident during the reign of Caliph Muhammad, as Ali continued to apply it despite the explicit prohibitions of the Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, unless the legal system is completely redesigned, Ijtihad is only used in a peripheral manner in the modern era. It cannot be used in any other way. Therefore, Ijtihad will need to be altered to be appropriately repurposed within a new Islamic framework to bring about contemporary legal reform.
B- The Importance of Epistles of Hazrat Ali
Outline
1- Introduction
2- The importance of epistles of Hazrat Ali
- ✓Fundamental insights into Islamic teachings
- ✓Applicability to modern issues
- ✓Invaluable resource for justice, compassion, and piety
- ✓Highly esteemed with moral lessons
- ✓Address the subjects like theology, ethics, and government
- ✓Highly esteemed with equality and wisdom
3- Conclusion
Answer to the question
Introduction
The collection of letters written by Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib is known as the epistles of Hazrat Ali. These epistles are highly regarded in Islamic literature for their ethical teachings, spiritual insights, and knowledge. These epistles are highly regarded in Islamic literature for their moral lessons, eloquence, and wisdom. However, they cover a wide range of topics, including government, ethics, spirituality, and theology. Nonetheless, these epistles are essential pieces of Islamic literature because they provide foundational understandings of Islamic teachings and they relate to contemporary problems. Therefore, these are thought to be very crucial for Muslims to understand the ideas of compassion, justice, and piety. As a result, the letters of Hazrat Ali are very significant to Islamic literature and history.
The importance of epistles of Hazrat Ali
The epistles of Hazrat Ali(RA) are significant because they offer a basic understanding of Islamic doctrine. These letters are a source of wisdom, spiritual guidance, and moral lessons for Muslims.
- ✓Their fundamental insights into Islamic teachings
The letters of Hazrat Ali offer essential insights into Islamic doctrine. The letters go beyond what is known theoretically. They provide helpful advice on applying Islamic values to daily life, including personal behaviour and governance
- ✓Their applicability to modern issues
“Give them appointment after tests and do not appoint them according to partiality or favouritism because these two things constitute sources of injustice and unfairness.”
The epistles of Hazrat Ali teach the people how to tackle modern issues of governance and society. People receiving favourable treatment because of their connections to influential individuals is among the worst things that can happen to society. This is prevalent in Islamic history and modern society. The voice of human justice, Imam Ali, cautions against cronyism and nepotism. Choose candidates based on their qualifications for the position rather than your friendship or family. This is a real litmus test for someone in a leadership role because failing to do favours for your loved ones could ruin their perception of you. Imam asserts that you must uphold justice nevertheless. Recall Imam Ali’s response when his brother Aqeel requested additional funds from the Treasury. This is a quality he consistently possesses.
- ✓Invaluable resource for justice, compassion, and piety
The writings of Hazrat Ali are a priceless resource for understanding Islamic teachings and customs. They provide timeless wisdom, moral precepts, and practical guidance to both Muslims and non-Muslims. For instance, a governor is given moral and just leadership advice in the well-known epistle known as the Letter to Malik al-Ashtar. It looks at social welfare, accountability, and how important it is to consider the needs of the general public. He wrote, “The virtuous and the vicious should not be in equal position before you because this means dissuasion of the virtuous from virtue and persuasion of the vicious to vice. Keep everyone in his position.”
- ✓Highly esteemed with moral lessons
A recurring theme in the epistles is the importance of equity, justice, and moral behaviour. They provide a framework for establishing a just society and preserving Islamic ethical values. He wrote, “Know that the people consist of classes who prosper only with the help of one another, and they are not independent of one another.”
- ✓Address many different subjects like theology, ethics, and government
Hazrat Ali wrote on a wide range of topics, including government, ethics, and theology. For instance, Imam Ali’s Letter 53 from Nahjul Balagha is among the most poetic pieces of writing. He writes to Egypt’s ruler, Malik al-Ashtar, giving him advice on how to handle the people. According to him, “Appreciate the performance of every one of them, do not attribute the performance of one to the other, and do not minimize the reward below the level of the performance. The high position of a man should not lead you to regard his small deeds as big, nor should the low position of a man make you regard his big deeds as small.”
- ✓Highly esteemed with eloquence and wisdom
“Know that the people consist of classes who prosper only with the help of one another, and they are not independent of one another.” Imam Ali begins in utmost humility. Imam Ali reminds everyone that despite being the head of a sizable empire, he is nothing more than God’s servant and that God alone possesses all power. Everyone has a part to play in leading a team or an organization, from the top executives to the frontline employees. According to Imam Ali, all these roles are vital, and when one is diminished, the body as a whole is diminished. This is a blatant example of the teamwork ethic the Imam is encouraging and ensuring everyone follows.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the writings of Hazrat Ali are highly valued for their moral lessons, their application to contemporary issues, their fundamental understanding of Islamic teachings, their importance as a source of justice, compassion, and piety, and their coverage of a wide range of topics including theology, ethics, and governance. However, Imam Ali carries on the long-standing Islamic practice of recording agreements with witnesses in writing. This eliminates the possibility of misunderstanding in the event that a problem later on emerges.
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