THE OBJECTIVES OF ISLAMIC LAW

Recent years have seen a resurgence in interest in maqasid literature. The present collection is a well-structured selection from some of the most prominent authors writing about Islamic jurisprudence and maqasid in the English language. The articles are based on talks given in 2014 at the University of Panderborn. The book is split into two parts. The first is more historical and theoretical and is entitled, ‘Promises’. The second, ‘Challenges,’ contains practical chapters dealing with the application of maqasid-style thinking to contemporary issues. I would like to focus this review on a critique of what I consider to be the glaring problem with contemporary academic engagements with maqasid from a devoted Muslim’s perspective. The maqasid have been used for the past two decades by certain figures and circles to undermine core teachings of Islam in the name of ‘higher-order’ thinking or reasoning about the ‘true’ goals of the Islamic revelation. I use the term ‘revelation’ intentionally because sacred law is derived directly from Islam’s scriptural sources.