ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Introduction to Islam Development of Jurisprudence and Theology A. The Shi’a School During their life time the Imams remained the chief exponents of the shariah, the Islamic law. Many of the Imams, when the political atmosphere permitted, held theological classes and also taught other sciences.

Since the major occultation of the twelfth Imam the Shi’as have, as commanded not only by him but also most of the preceding Imaams, sought guidance from mujtahids and followed the institution of taqleed. Taqleed literally means to follow or to imitate someone. In Islamic jurisprudence it means to follow a Mujtahid in matters pertaining to law.

Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice.(9:124) Taqleed applies only to matters of shariah. There is no taqleed in matters of beliefs (the articles of faith). A Muslim must seek to attain conviction of their truth through reflection and rational examination. A Mujtahid must be a person learned in all the Islamic sciences.

At any given time there would normally be a number of persons qualified as Mujtahids and it is not uncommon to have two members of the same family in taqleed of two different mujtahids. Any muslim can address any question of law to any mujtahid, whether or not he is in the taqleed of that mujtahid and the mujtahid would issue a fatwaa giving his opinion on that subject. This would invariably be by way of a statement of the law which in the opinion of the mujtahid is the correct legal position.

The fatwaa would be binding on all the persons in the taqleed of that mujtahid. A mujtahid is so called because he does ijtehaad which term means to strive for deriving the laws of the shariah from its sources which are: The Qur’an The Sunnah which mean the traditions and the practice of the Prophet and the Imams. Reasoning (Aql); Consensus of the Mujtahids (Ijmaa). B.