On Taqlīd: Ibn Al Qayyim’s Critique of Authority in Islamic Law

Abdul-Rahman Mustafa offers a deft new translation of a large extract from the book__I'lam al Muwaqqi'in 'an Rabb al 'Alamin__, by the thirteenth-century Islamic scholar, Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya. The__I'lam__comprises an extensive discussion of the subject of taqlid, or legal imitation. It is one of the most comprehensive treatments of Islamic legal theory and even today serves as a manual for lawyers, judges, and muftis.In the portion of the__I'lam__translated here, Ibn al-Qayyim introduces the nature of taqlid and divides it into several categories. He then provides an account of a debate between a critic of the view that taqlid of a particular school or scholar is a religious duty and this critic's interlocutor. Among the topics discussed are the different kinds of taqlid, the differences between taqlid and ittiba', the infallibility of religious scholars, the grounds on which one legal opinion might be preferred over another, and whether or not laymen can be expected to perform ijtihad. Ibn Qayyim's legal theory is a formidable reformulation of traditionalist Hanbalism, a legal-theological tradition that has always maintained a distinctive character in Islamic history and that is now growing more influential due to modern interest in the Wahhabi movement and in Ibn Taymiyya, whose legal and theological thought was edited and refined by his student, Ibn Qayyim.In his introduction to the translation, Mustafa critically reviews the scholarship on taqlid and outlines Ibn Qayyim's legal theory and the importance of taqlid within it. Taqlid continues to generate controversy amongst educated Muslims and particularly academics, as Salafi interpretations of Islam, which are generally 'anti-taqlid, ' come into conflict with the generally 'pro-taqlid' stance of traditional schools such as the Hanafis. Mustafa's translation of a classic account of Islamic legal theory and strong critique of the dominant legal culture is a timely contribution to an increasingly heated debate. Abdul-Rahman Mustafa offers a deft new translation of a large extract from the book I'lam al Muwaqqi'in 'an Rabb al 'Alamin , by the thirteenth-century Islamic scholar, Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya. The I'lam comprises an extensive discussion of the subject of taqlid, or legal imitation. It is one of the most comprehensive treatments of Islamic legal theory and even today serves as a manual for lawyers, judges, and muftis. In the portion of the I'lam translated here, Ibn al-Qayyim introduces the nature of taqlid and divides it into several categories. He then provides an account of a debate between a critic of the view that taqlid of a particular school or scholar is a religious duty and this critic's interlocutor. Among the topics discussed are the different kinds of taqlid, the differences between taqlid and ittiba', the infallibility of religious scholars, the grounds on which one legal opinion might be preferred over another, and whether or not laymen can be expected to perform ijtihad. Ibn Qayyim's legal theory is a formidable reformulation of traditionalist Hanbalism, a legal-theological tradition that has always maintained a distinctive character in Islamic history and that is now growing more influential due to modern interest in the Wahhabi movement and in Ibn Taymiyya, whose legal and theological thought was edited and refined by his student, Ibn Qayyim. In his introduction to the translation, Mustafa critically reviews the scholarship on taqlid and outlines Ibn Qayyim's legal theory and the importance of taqlid within it. Taqlid continues to generate controversy amongst educated Muslims and particularly academics, as Salafi interpretations of Islam, which are generally 'anti-taqlid, ' come into conflict with the generally 'pro-taqlid' stance of traditional schools such as the Hanafis. Mustafa's translation of a classic account of Islamic legal theory and strong critique of the dominant legal culture is a timely contribution to an increasingly heated debate. "A deft new translation of a large extract from the book Iʻlām al-Muwaqqiʻīn an Rabb al-ʻĀlamīn, by the thirteenth-century Islamic scholar Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya. The Iʻlām comprises an extensive discussion of the subject of taqlīd, or legal imitation. It is one of the most comprehensive treatments of Islamic legal theory and even today serves as a manual for lawyers, judges, and muftis. In the portion of the Iʻlām translated here, Ibn al-Qayyim introduces the nature of taqlīd and divides it into several categories. He then provides an account of a debate between a critic of the view that taqlīd of a particular school or scholar is a religious duty and this critic's interlocutor. Among the topics discussed are the different kinds of taqlīd, the differences between taqlīd and ittibā, the infallibility of religious scholars, the grounds on which one legal opinion might be preferred over another, and whether or not laymen can be expected to perform ijtihad. Ibn Qayyim's legal theory is a formidable reformulation of traditionalist Hanbalism, a legal-theological tradition that has always maintained a distinctive character in Islamic history and that is now growing more influential due to modern interest in the Wahhabi movement and in Ibn Taymiyya, whose legal and theological thought was edited and refined by his student, Ibn Qayyim. In his introduction to the translation, Mustafa critically reviews the scholarship on taqlīd and outlines Ibn Qayyim's legal theory and the importance of taqlīd within it. Taqlīd continues to generate controversy amongst educated Muslims and particularly academics, as Salafi interpretations of Islam, which are generally 'anti-taqlīd,' come into conflict with the generally 'pro-taqlīd' stance of traditional schools such as the Hanafis"--Jacket This book offers a new translation of a large extract from the book I’lam al Muwaqqi’in ‘An Rabb al ’Alamin , by the thirteenth-century Islamic scholar, Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya. The I’lam comprises an in-depth discussion of the subject of taqlīd , or legal imitation, and is one of the most comprehensive treatments of Islamic legal theory and serves as a manual for mujtahids and muftis . In this translated portion of the I’lam , Ibn Qayyim first introduces the nature of taqlīd and divides it into several categories. It then provides an account of a debate between a critic of the view that taqlīd of a particular school or a scholar is a religious duty and this critic’s interlocutor. Among the topics discussed are the different kinds of taqlīd , the differences between taqlīd and ittibi’ , the infallibility of religious scholars, the grounds on which one legal opinion might be preferred over another, and whether or not laymen can be expected to perform ijtihad . Ibn Qayyim’s legal theory is a formidable reformulation of traditionalist Hanbalism—a legal-theological tradition which has always maintained a distinctive character in Islamic history—and which is now growing more influential due to modern interest in the Wahhabi movement and in Ibn Taymiyya, whose legal and theological thought was best edited and refined by his student, Ibn Qayyim. The introduction to this book critically reviews the scholarship on taqlīd and outlines Ibn Qayyim’s legal theory and the importance of taqlīd within it. Taqlīd continues to generate controversy amongst educated Muslims and particularly academics, as Salafi interpretations of Islam, which are generally “anti-taqlīd,” come into conflict with the generally “pro-taqlīd” stance of traditional schools such as the Hanafis Abdul-rahman Mustafa Offers A Translation Of A Large Extract From The Book 'i'lam Al Muwaqqi'in 'an Rabb Al 'alamin', By The 13th-century Islamic Scholar, Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyya. The 'i'lam' Comprises An Extensive Discussion Of The Subject Of Taqlīd, Or Legal Imitation. Introduction -- An Exposition On Imitation -- A Disputation Between An Imitator And His Adversary. Abdul-rahman Mustafa. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 223-229) And Index.