Islamic Jurisprudence and Ethics
Which of the following correctly describes Ijtihad?
- A. The discipline concerned with the methodology and principles underlying the derivation of Islamic law
- B. Independent legal reasoning exercised by a qualified scholar to arrive at a ruling on a matter not explicitly addressed in the primary texts ✓
- C. The human scholarly endeavor of understanding and deriving Islamic law from the Quran and Sunnah
- D. One of the four major Sunni schools of jurisprudence, founded by Imam Abu Hanifa and known for its wide use of analogical reasoning
Correct answer
B. Independent legal reasoning exercised by a qualified scholar to arrive at a ruling on a matter not explicitly addressed in the primary texts
Explanation
'Ijtihad' refers to independent legal reasoning exercised by a qualified scholar to arrive at a ruling on a matter not explicitly addressed in the primary texts.