Allah states:
“Those whom believe pay attention: upon you are yourselves.”
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.5, V.105)
Muhammad (Peace be upon them) stated:
“Avoid/abandon whatever makes your Heart uneasy.”
(Muslim, at-Tirmidhī, an-Nasā’ī, ad-Dārimī, Ahmad, ibn-Hibbān)
The Religio Urban-Legend surrounding al-Ijtihād
When Most-Muslims hear or think about the Concept/Term “Ijtihād”: immdeiately it’s exclusively implied to refer to domething Religio-Scholastic. I’ve even hear Statements/Arguments, pontificating/claiming that “The Doors-Of-Ijtihād are closed.”. Well get to that later-on via the Article…#TrustMe For now though, let’s get back to the Concept/Term itself.
What’s the Purpos/Point of “Ijtihād” anyway?!!!
It stands as a Method, to attempt answering the Unanswerable, regarding handling Religio-Issues only vaguely detailed via at-Tanzīl/Revelation (during the Lifetime of Muhammad). Or, additionally, dealing with Religio-Issues which never existed or were simply unknown to Arab-Society relative to the Revelation of The Qur’ān. You see: the Role of a Mujtahid/Decision-Maker & the Role of a Muftī/Fatwā-Maker are almost synonymous. I’ll explain what “Fatwā” is. “Fatwā” means “Conclusion/Verdict”, from the Word al-Iftā/Research. Muftī equally means “Researcher”. Every Muftī doesn’t issue Fatāwā/Verdicts by the way…Some/Certain Muftūn/Muftīs exclusive are Researchers. So, as is clearly noticeable: al-Ijtihād is Serious-Business. It necessitates Persons whom’re Experts/Masters of Fields-Of-Study, to ensure that they’ll actually make the Right-Decisions…the Correct-Decisions…the Safe-Decisions…the Wise-Decisions…the Intelligent-Decisions…the Pragmatic/Practical-Decisions…etc. Not everyone is capable, able, qualified, etc. to operate/function via This-Level of Islāmic-Scholarship. Reason being: because This-Level of Islāmic-Scholarship, there’ve been Religio-Decision made which’ve caused Great-Benefits & Great-Harms to the Muslims literally for Centuries continuously into the 21st-Century, C.E. There’ve been Mujtahidūn/Decision-Makers who’ve predicated Things that Muslims have been affected by since Those-Persons have been dead for Hundreds of Years.
What do People mean by “Closed-Doors of al-Ijtihād”?!!!
My Only-Conclusion with that Type/Kind of Untruthful/Dishonest-Posture…it’s a Control-Mechanism via Muslim-Foreignor Influence. It’s indicative of Certain-Persons only deemed “Persons-Of-Knowledge”, while Other-Persons are intended to never be religio-autonomous/independent from anyone. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying “Fuck the Scholars.”. However, what I’m authoritatively saying is that we’ll never be Religio-Demographically Autonomous, if we continue to allow ourselves to be Religio-Academically Shackled to “Overseas-Scholarship”. Islāmic-Knowledge has always been capable/able to be transformative for any/all Peoples who’ve been exposed to it. If/when we look all across the Planet, all over the Muslim-World, etc. Various-Demographics of Muslims have acquired Sufficient Religio-Academia/Scholarship…thanked those whom brought it to them…and they kept it pushin. We da Only-Niggas who act like 15-Year Olds with a Full-Set of Permanent-Teeth still trying to get Religio-Academically Breastfed. We’re the Only Muslim-Demographic whom buys into the “Doors-Of-Ijtihād are Closed” Kalām/Rhetoric.
How would “Ijtihād” be used via the Modern-World?!!!
Issues consistently evolve via the Modern-World & constantly require al-Ijtihād. Most-Muslims foolishly think these’re “Cut&Dry” Issues. But, in All-Truthfulness/Honesty…the Nuances & Consequences of each of the following have (potentially) Irreversable-Effects.
Religio-Issues requiring al-Ijtihād
Homo-Culture:
(From Same-Gender “Marriages” to Transformer-Surgeries)…where do Muslims stand on these Socio-Political Lines?
The “Abrahamic-Faith” Fallacy & the Phenomenon of “Interfaith-Dialogue”.
Marriage:
What is it, and how is it to be defined & who can marry who?
Finances:
Which Jobs/Careers to pursue, Home-Purchasing, Stock-Investments, etc…Yea or Nay?
Military-Service:
Whose Side do we fight for in Military-Conflicts, whether against fellow Muslims or other Humans generally?
Child-Support:
Divorce, Custody-Battles, Illegitimacy, Baby-Momma Drama & the ever-growing phenomenon which is the “Baby-Abi” syndrome.
Dress-Code:
The True-Definition of “Islāmic-Dress”, the Modeling-World, Fashion-Trends, the lost Sex-Appeal of the Muslim-Male & the ongoing “Imitation of the Kuffār” Phenomenon/Pseudo-Narrative.
Entertainment:
Acting, Sports, Music, Fashion, etc…what’s the Extent of Islāmically-Allowable/Acceptable Muslim-Participation?
Islāmophobia:
The onslaught of Insults & Attacks against al-Islām&Muslims via Media…how can/do we combat this?
Atheism/Anti-Theism:
The Foundation of Darwinism/Evolutionary-Theory…how do we address its growing popularity within the Muslim-World?
at-Tahārah/Islāmic-Hygiene:
Toothbrushes vs. Miswaks…Soaps/Body-Washes & Anti-Bacterial-Products vs. Water & Dirt.
az-Zakāh/Taxation:
“Cash vs. Crypto”…which is more practical to be given in our Modern-Age?
Feminism:
From “Female-Imāms”, to Women leading Men in Prayers, to Abortion-Culture…what do we have to say about this?
To Vote or Not to Vote:
The Politics of Participation or lack thereof in via Political-Process.
Bio-Medical Ethics:
From Medical-Marijuana, to Assistant-Suicide, to Abortion, and any/all else Medically-Related.
The Inadequacy of the Modern-Day Mujtahid
The Aforementioned are just some of Countless-Issues, which if according to Certain-Muslims “Doors-Of-Ijtihād are closed”, that Muslims do Personal-Ijtihād about all the Time, every Day, etc. own their own anyway. So, ironically, one of tge Asbāb/Reasons how & why Certain-Muslims are in the Ahwāl/Conditions we find ourselves in is precisely because Lack or Non-Existence of al-Ijtihād relative to which Region/Part of the Muslim-World they’re at. For example: via the U.S. you’ll actually find Countless-Muslims hailing from Certain Religio-Academic Backgrounds & they’re granted Religio-Permission to be titled “Muftī”, “Mujtahid”, etc. But, honestly, either 90% of them never deserve such “Titles”. Or, they’re complete-incapable to competently commit al-Ijtihād, because they’re completely-ignorant of the Environment..the People…the Culture…the Politics…etc. relative to where they’re at.
So, to conclude, we all must work towards Proper-Ijtihād. This is especially true for Muslims whom dwell within Parts/Regions of the Muslim-World which aren’t Muslim/Muslim-Majority Countries.
Gareth Bryant
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