The Need of Ijtihad for Sustainable Development in Islam

Education has been a central feature of Islam from the very beginning. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stressed on the acquisition of knowledge and sustainable development of islam. The Quran has given the fundamental education and knowledge but the Muslim scholars must interpret this fundamental knowledge wisely in accordance with the spirit of the time in which we live. Shariah (Islamic law) is subject to interpretation in order to meet the ever-changing needs of society. Muslim jurists and scholars have relied on the well-established process of change known as ijtihad. The process of ijtihad allowed Muslims and Muslim societies to continually adapt in the face of changing societal conditions and new advances in knowledge. However, declaring the shariah complete and announcing of the closure of the gate of ijtihad turns the great thinkers into idols. In this paper, we stressed on the evolutionary aspects of the knowledge & education (ijtihad) in Muslim society and answered the questions regarding closure of the gate of ijtihad, how important the concept of ijtihad is. As there is an urgent need for the Muslims to realize their failures and deal with the stagnation exist within their minds, how can ijtihad be used to address the needs of muslim societies with reference to contemporary world?IIUC Studies Vol.9 December 2012: 215-224