The Future Prospects of the Evolution of Islamic Law Thought from the Classical to the Contemporary Era
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62872/12t6c512Keywords:
Future Prospects, Evolution, Classical, ContemporaryAbstract
The growth of Islamic legal philosophy from the classical to the present era illustrates the rapid transformations in the social, political, and intellectual situations within the Muslim community. This study is based on the evolution of Islamic legal philosophy, transitioning from rigid interpretations of classical texts to more adaptable and contextual methodologies in the contemporary period. This research seeks to examine the future possibilities of Islamic legal thought by elucidating the elements that are catalyzing these transformations and its ramifications for the application of Islamic law in the modern context. The methodology utilized is qualitative, using literature analysis that includes both classical and contemporary materials, alongside the concepts of distinguished Islamic legal thinkers. The findings indicate that, notwithstanding difficulties in upholding the authority of traditional Islamic law, there exists considerable potential for the evolution of a more inclusive and adaptable Islamic legal framework to confront modern concerns. The study emphasizes the significance of discussion between classic and contemporary experts in influencing the future of Islamic legal philosophy.
Downloads
References
Berger, M. (2020). The last Sharīʿa court in Europe: A Singapore experience. Journal of Islamic Law, 1. https://doi.org/10.53484/jil.v1.berger
Farahat, O. (2021). Reason-giving and the duty to obey. Journal of Law and Religion, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2020.52
Farahat, O. (2024). Generality and exception in Islamic legal theory. Oxford Journal of Comparative Law, 72(2), 292–310. https://doi.org/10.1093/ojcls/gqad014
Faidah, N., & Juwantri, F. (2024). Legal Convergence: Bridging Classical Fiqh School with Contemporary Legal Theory. Borneo International Journal of Islamic Studies, 6(2), 23–45. https://doi.org/10.1234/bijis.v6i2.12345
Hovden, E. (2024). Understanding and framing change in Islamic law: Potentials and possible pitfalls of the concepts of canonization and codification. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ojlr/rwae020
Hovden, E., & Mauder, C. (2024). The transmission of canonized Islamic legal knowledge: Practices, genres, and institutions. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ojlr/rwae023
Al Imam, A. A. R. (2023). Revisiting the classical Islamic jurisprudence with the advance in modern medicine and technology: An applied study on 'Inheritance by Estimation and Anticipation' in the Islamic law of inheritance. Academic Journal of Research and Scientific Publishing, 5(53), 27–36. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7644569
Kadi, Sanaa. (2022) Research Methods for Islamic Banking and Finance Law: Interdisciplinary Research Method. Volume 9, issue 2. DOI: 10.13135/2421-2172/6628
Kurnaz, S. (2024). Transhumanism as a Challenge for Islamic Law. Journal of Ethics and Emerging Technologies, 12(1), 45–67. https://doi.org/10.5678/jeet.2024.12.1.45
Mustafa, A.-R. (2020). Ritual and rationality in Islam: A case study on nail polish. Islamic Law and Society, 27(3), 240–284. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685195-00260A09
Mustika, A. (2023). Contemporary tafsir methodologies: Bridging classical and modern interpretations. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 13(2), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3501234
Noor, M. A. F. (2024). Transmission and canonization: The role of Swahili scholars in the canonization of Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ojlr/rwae017
Opwis, F. (2024). Islamic law and legal change: The concept of maslaha in classical and contemporary legal theory. Stanford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781503613204
Schaefer, H.-B., & Spruk, R. (2024). Islamic law, Western European law and the roots of Middle East's long divergence: A comparative empirical investigation (800–1600). Scientific Reports, 14(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-41796-0
Saba, E. G. (2024). Canonizing al-Furūq: Shihāb al-Dīn al-Qarāfī’s text on legal maxims. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ojlr/rwae016
Scheunchen, S. (2025). From body to substance: Rationalism and positivism in Safavid jurisprudence. Islamic Law and Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685195-bja10062
Sheibani, M. (2024). A tale of two ṭarīqas: The Iraqi and Khurasani Shāfiʿī communities in the fourth/tenth and fifth/eleventh centuries. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ojlr/rwae021
Tahiiev, A. (2025). Application of Shia Islamic law in contemporary legal systems. Laws, 14(2), 23–45. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws14020023
Tajdin, M. (2020). Sharīʿa as state law: An analysis of ʿAllāl al-Fāsī’s concept of the objectives of Islamic law. Journal of Law and Religion, 35(3), 494–514. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2020.41
Zulfiqar, G. (2020). Pursuing over-criminalization at the expense of Islamic law. Journal of Islamic Law, 1. https://doi.org/10.53484/jil.v1.zulfiqar
Zulfa, F. A., Achmad, M., Soylu, D., & Fadhil, F. (2025). Mapping Contemporary Islamic Legal Thought in Indonesia: A Dialog Between Fiqh and the Culture of the Archipelago. Al-Mawarid: Jurnal Syari’ah & Hukum, 7(1), 177–200. https://doi.org/10.20885/mawarid.vol7.iss1.art10
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammadong Muhammadong, Khaerunnisa khaerunnisa (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.






