Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Ijtihad literally means "effort" and refers to the qualified scholar's independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Quran and Sunnah in matters where there is no clear and unambiguous text. It is one of the most important mechanisms for the development and adaptation of Islamic law.
The founders of the four Sunni schools of law were all mujtahid mutlaq (absolutely independent legal interpreters). The Prophet (peace be upon him) recognized ijtihad when he sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal to Yemen and asked him how he would judge. Mu'adh answered: "With the Book of Allah, then with the Sunnah of the Prophet, and then with my own ijtihad." The Prophet approved of this.
In prayer matters, ijtihad is relevant for topics such as calculating prayer times at high latitudes, using technology to determine the qibla direction, and new situations such as prayer in space or on an airplane. Imam al-Ghazali set strict conditions for the one who exercises ijtihad in his work "al-Mustasfa."
Related terms
Sahabi (Companion of the Prophet)
A person who met the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a believer and died as a Muslim.
Rajab (The Venerable Month)
The seventh Islamic month, filled with special prayers and worship.
Salat al-Ghufaylah (Prayer Between Maghrib and Isha)
A specially recommended prayer prayed between Maghrib and Isha in Shia Islam.
Du'a Jawshan al-Kabir (The Great Armor)
A long supplication with 1000 of Allah's names and attributes, recited during Ramadan nights.
Tashahhud (Testimony of Faith in Prayer)
The testimony of faith recited in the sitting position during prayer.
Qabd (Folding the Arms in Prayer)
The practice of folding the arms over the chest or below the navel during the standing position in prayer.