Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
8. The Concept of Ijtihaad in Islam
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Apart from lagging behind in the race of progress, they are also
suffering from many socio-political and cultural problems at both
national and international levels. For example, on the national level,
Muslims living as a minority in non-Muslim countries are generally
not considered ‘loyal citizens’, as the modern concept of
nationhood and its resultant obligations have yet to be legitimised
by the Islamic shariah authorities. Banking, interest, insurance and
other forms of financial transaction still await the unanimous stamp
of approval of the Muslim Ulama.
None of these problems and misconceptions can be removed
without a wide acceptance of Ijtihaad throughout the Muslim
world.
