اجماع کی اہمیت شریعت اسلامی کی روشنی میں

Abstract

Ijmāʿ is an important mode of Ijtihād and well known principle of Islamic Sharʿiah. Historically it is evident that incidence of Ijmāʿ )Consensus( restricted only to four Caliphates of Islam only. This Collective Ijtihād and Collective Opinion was actually the decision of the Islamic State followed and obeyed by the all Muslims specially by "Ṣaḥābah" (Companions of the Holy Prophet), this is why it is called Ijmāʿ-e- Ṣaḥābah. These decisions were applicable and binding to all Muslims living elsewhere in the world, because at that time there was centralized ruling system (Khilāfat-e-Wāḥidah).Now Muslim world has split into many states, so every state has its own decision making institutions and hence such Ijtihād and Ijmāʿ, Islamic Legislation Activities should be validated within those states as Ijtihād and Ijmāʿ except issues relevant to general interest as whole human being and all Muslims. In such issues International level consensus of Islamic Jurists would be required. "Ijmāʿ", actually it is the same processes. More over any "Ijmāʿ" held in a time period can be revoked by any new situation in future as per requirement of the time. It is the inevitable demand of dynamism of Islam to correlate it to every need of the time.