Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I want to follow the Hanafi view that allows taking easier valid opinions and combining opinions (talfiq) in certain cases. The scholars mention a condition: the muqallid may not return to what he has acted upon (la yarji‘ al-muqallid fīma qallada fīh). What does this condition mean, and how […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Can principles like maslaha (public interest) or istihsan (juristic preference) be used to address systemic harms in areas such as women’s rights in marriage or divorce, or to justify publicly exposing injustices like imprisonment or exploitation for the sake of reform? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful […]

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick Question Islam is fundamentally a Deen of Isnad, in which everything from learning Arabic letters to mastering complex sciences requires a teacher. Yet, we each stand before our Lord alone. Over the years, I have encountered fleeting references to the “Ijtihad of the layman.” What are the obligations of the ordinary […]

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick Question What is the Islamic ruling on vigilantism and taking the law into one’s own hands? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah guide us to what pleases Him and protect us from error. Amin. This is an excellent and important question, for when one’s […]