Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence

Author : Mohammad Hashim Kamali
Publisher : Ilmiah Publishers
Page : 432 pages
ISBN : 978-983-2092-00-1

"This book offers the only detailed presentation available in English of the theory of Muslim law ('usul al-fiqh). Often regarded as the most sophisticated of the traditional Islamic diciplines, Islamic jurisprudence is concerned with the way in which the rituals and laws of religion are derived from the Quran and the Sunnah - the precedent of the Prophet. Revelation, which is given to man to restore unity and help him achieve a just and devout order in society as well as in the soul, must be interpreted so as to render it practicable in every culture, while not betraying its spirit and immutable provisions.

To achieve this , additional sources of legal authority are recognised, including consensus (ijma'), analogical reasoning (qias), public interest (maslaha) and local customary precedent ('urf). In employing these, the jurist guards the five principles which it is the purpose of Islamic law to uphold, namely, the right to life , sound mind, property, lineage and religion."