Contemporary Ijtihad: Limits and Controversies

Examines the usefulness, challenges and limits of ijtihad for Muslims today. This book explores the limits and controversies of ijtihad in the context of the diverse needs of Muslim cultures and communities living in Muslim and non-Muslim nations and continents including Europe and North America.Ijihad is the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the legal sources. The resurgence of Islam, geopolitical crises involving Muslim nations, violence associated with Islam and the immigration of millions of Muslims to Western countries have impressed upon Muslims the need to rethink classical jurisprudence. As a result, a powerful contemporary ijtihad has unleashed a tremendous intellectual energy that is transforming legal systems across the Muslim world.