What Is Maqasid Shariah

Shaykh muhammad al tahir ibn ashur a great islamic scholar defined maqasid of the islamic law as the objectives or purposes behind the islamic rulings.

What is maqasid shariah. Maqasid al shari ah may be stated simply as the higher objectives of the rules of the shari ah the observance of which facilitate the normal functioning of society by enhancing the public good maslaha this implies avoiding actions likely to harm to individuals and society. Together with another related classical doctrine maṣlaḥa welfare or public interest it has come to play an increasingly prominent role in modern times. Imam al ghazali said masalih or benefits should be harmonious and consistent with the objective maqasid of the shari ah since the basic purpose of legislation tashri is to protect the interest of people against harm. He explained the knowledge of maqasid al shari ah is important for mujtahids to not only understand or interpret the texts of shariah but also to derive solutions to contemporary problems faced by muslims.

Maqasid al shari ah or the goals and objectives of islamic law is an evidently important and yet somewhat neglected theme of the shari ah. Goals purposes or maqāṣid al sharīʿa goals or objectives of sharia is an islamic legal doctrine. This implies avoiding actions likely to harm to individuals and society. Objectives or maqasid of islamic law themselves are classified in various ways according to a number of dimensions.