Prof. Shouman: Ijtihad ‘Independent Reasoning’ is a discipline undertaken by those well-established in knowledge, governed by strict Sharia controls
Prof. Hassan Al-Saghir: Al-Azhar scholars counter doubts about the true religion with sound, moderate Islamic thought and solid knowledge
Prof. Abbas Shouman, President of the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates and Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars, emphasized that renewal is essential in authentic Islamic law, a principle established in the early Islamic period through the hierarchical structure of Sharia provisions. Over the years of the Prophet’s mission (PBUH), the spread of Islam’s teachings was gradually facilitated. Muslims first embraced the two declarations of faith, followed by the obligations of prayer, zakat, fasting, and pilgrimage. In this way, the fundamental structure of Islam took shape, with religion firmly established through the Sharia controls that govern transactions, worship, and morality.
This was stated during a seminar titled ‘Between Renewal and Dissipation in Islamic Thought,’ held at the Faculty of Islamic Studies for Boys in Cairo, with the participation of the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates. The event was attended by Prof. Ramadan Mohammad Hassan, Dean of the Faculty; Prof. Hassan al-Saghir; a group of deans from various faculties of al-Azhar University; and students from the Faculty.
Notably, Prof. Shouman emphasized that Islamic Sharia was established to achieve its legitimate objectives through education, media, and engaging with people’s intellect, guiding them to accept rulings that were gradually introduced, as seen in the prohibitions on alcohol and usury. Each phase is a form of renewal that serves as our response to many intellectual movements advocating for renewal. However, we must distinguish between renewal and dissipation in Islamic thought, as certain rulings in Sharia are definitive and settled. Thus, renewal lies in the approach and means of contemporary persuasion, requiring a soft, persuasive, and rational style of discourse—renewal here applies to the method, not the rulings themselves.
Additionally, Prof. Shouman noted that Ijtihad is a discipline reserved for those deeply rooted in knowledge and governed by strict Sharia guidelines. Such scholars possess rigorous training and hold recognized credentials, enabling them to select the appropriate ruling for each questioner, relevant to their specific time and place, all within the framework of Sharia controls.
Furthermore, Prof. Hassan al-Saghir, Assistant Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy, affirmed that today we face a deliberate moral assault aimed at undermining Muslims’ confidence in their origins and faith by spreading discouragement and demoralization. However, al-Azhar counters these efforts with its sound, moderate Islamic thought, dispelling doubts about the true religion.
