Article

Jurisprudential stagnation: examples, causes, and practical methods for revitalizing ijtihad in the modern era

فقہی جمود: مثالیں اسباب اور عصر حاضر میں احیائے اجتہاد کا عملی طریقہ کار

Ghulam Rasul

PhD Scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, National College of Business Administration and Economics (NCBA&E), Lahore, Pakistan.

Keywords: Jurisprudential Stagnation, Revival of Ijtihad, Collective Ijtihad, Modern Age, Jurisprudential Institutions

Abstract

The issue of jurisprudential stagnation (al-jumūd al-fiqhī) represents a critical intellectual challenge for the Muslim Ummah, severely impacting the dynamic nature of Islamic law. While the classical jurisprudential heritage provides fundamental guidance for complex issues emerging in the medical, economic, and social spheres of the modern age, the absence of renewed ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) adapted to changing circumstances constitutes a significant gap. This research analyzes the causes of jurisprudential stagnation and presents a comprehensive practical methodology for reviving ijtihad in the contemporary era, particularly through collective ijtihad (al-ijtihād al-jamā‘ī) as a viable solution. The study employs a descriptive and analytical methodology, examining authoritative jurisprudential sources, resolutions of contemporary fiqh academies, and modern scholarly research. The findings indicate that institutional and collective ijtihad proves more effective in addressing modern problems compared to individual ijtihad. The research concludes that the elimination of intellectual stagnation remains impossible until jurisprudential institutions operate through mutual collaboration between eminent religious scholars and experts in modern sciences.

Published
Jan 23, 2026
Section
Urdu
How to Cite

 Jurisprudential stagnation: examples, causes, and practical methods for revitalizing ijtihad in the modern era “. “Al-Marjān Research Journal 4, no.1, Jan-Mar (2026): 110−119.