Ibn Nasr, Mohammed. “Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (The Objectives of Shariʿah): Between the Vitality of the Idea and the Limitation of its Effectiveness,” Year 13, Issue 49 (Spring 1428 AH/ 2007 CE), Pp. 49-78.

Abstract

Mohammed Ibn Nasr’s article addresses the importance of the concept of maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (objectives of Shariʿah) and its vitality. He holds that such importance does not only lie in utilizing maqāṣid to treat religious rulings, but to learn the most applicable and effective aspect in addressing ever changing problems. The article discusses: the development of maqāṣid from a concept to a theory; the epistemological and historical framework pertaining to maqāṣid; the vitality and strength of the idea of maqāṣid on the civilizational, scientific, educational, legal, and religious levels; the natural relationships and intersection between the limitation of maqāṣid and its effectiveness and impact; and what is absent in contemporary Islamic studies with respect maqāṣid theory.