Is Islamic Sacred Law (Shari‘a) Relevant to the Contemporary World?
Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani
Question
Is Islamic Sacred Law relevant to the contemporary world?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.
Relevance of Sacred Law in Modern Life
Yes, Sacred Law is indeed relevant to the modern world, as it possesses characteristics that make it suitable for contemporary life. It aligns with human nature and is universal, merciful, inclusive, just, moderate, clear, and final, among other qualities.
Let us consider two of these characteristics:
Universality
Sacred Law is the final revelation, abrogating previous laws, which implies continuity and permanence in legislation until the Day of Judgment. It is a revelation sent to the heart of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) through the Quran and Sunna, possessing an enduring nature.
Allah (Most High) says,
“But it is simply a reminder to the whole world.” [Quran, 68:52]
This means that the Quran is a message for all humanity.
The universality of this message is also affirmed in the hadith of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):
“Indeed, I have been given the Quran and something like it. Beware! A well-fed man reclining on his couch may say, ‘Follow this Quran, whatever you find in it to be lawful, treat as lawful; and whatever you find in it to be unlawful, treat as unlawful.’ But indeed, what the Messenger of Allah has prohibited is like what Allah has prohibited.” [Tirmidhi]
Mercy
Sacred Law embodies mercy in its teachings, both in the Quran and Sunna, as well as in the rulings derived from them. Sacred Law is based on mercy for Allah’s creation, a quality greatly needed in today’s world, which is often immersed in materialism with little sense of mercy or spirituality. The Quran affirms the merciful nature of this revelation:
“We have sent you (O Prophet) only as a mercy for the whole world.” [Quran, 21:107]
Ibn ‘Ashur (Allah have mercy on him) explains this mercy in “al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir,” noting that the unique emphasis on mercy in Sacred Law reflects the evolved state of human souls and societies. It is an era necessitating governance based on compassion, minimizing hardship except where essential for societal benefit.
He states that Sacred Law was fortunate to coincide with a time when divine wisdom determined that humanity should be governed with mercy until the end of time. Hence, the Sacred Law was established on the foundations of mercy, gentleness, and ease.
Conclusion
From these two characteristics—universality and mercy—we recognize that Sacred Law remains continually relevant and adaptable to the modern world and its people, embodying a timeless connection of compassionate universality to the contemporary world.
And Allah is the source of success.
[Shaykh] Bassem Itani
Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.
From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.
His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.
