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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Simplified Islamic Laws for Young Adults Ijtihad and Taqlid A person is allowed to perform the rites of Islam, either by way of “ Ijtihad ” or “ Taqlid ”.

“ Ijtihad ” refers to the intense struggle in the way of extracting the rules of Islam from their sources, of which the most important are the Qur’an and the Ahadith of the Masumin (Peace be upon all of them) - after learning the necessary sciences (of Islam) that enable the person to be able to extract the Ahkam from their sources. A person who has this intellectual power is called a “ Mujtahid ”.

“ Taqlid ” means to follow and to go behind someone, and in the context of Islam, refers to following a Mujtahid; meaning that a person performs his responsibilities according to the Fatawa of a Mujtahid. Issue 1: A Mujtahid to whom others do Taqlid to is referred to as a “ Marja’ Taqlid ”, and the person who does Taqlid is called a “ Muqallid ”.

Issue 2: Someone who is not a Mujtahid, and is not able to derive the rules and commandments of Allah from their sources, and who cannot act according to Ihtiyat, must do Taqlid to a Mujtahid. This means that he must perform his actions according to the Fatawa (of a Mujtahid). Issue 3: The responsibility of most people in the rules of Islam is to perform Taqlid, because the numbers of people who are able to perform the rules of Islam by reaching to the level of Ijtihad are few.

Issue 4: The Mujtahid, to whom one does Taqlid to, must be: • Just (Adil) • Living • Male • Shi’a Ithna-‘Asheri • According to Ihtiyat Wajib, must be A’lam (the most knowledgeable) Issue 5: If the Mujtahid to whom a person is doing Taqlid to passes away and the living Mujtahid is not more knowledgeable than the one who passed away, then the Muqallid can stay on the Taqlid (of the deceased Marja’) if the following two conditions are met: He (the Muqallid) had previously acted upon some of the Fatawa.

The Muqallid has made a decision that when a (new) issue comes up, he will follow the (new) Mujtahid. In addition, according to Ihtiyat Wajib, if the Mujtahid who has passed away was more knowledgeable than the living Mujtahids, then one must stay on his Taqlid. Issue 6: A’lam is that scholar who is strongest from among the Mujtahidin, in extracting the rules of Islam from their sources.