The Doctrine of Ijmāʿ in Islam

Few doctrines in the history of Islamic thought have commanded as much authority, generated as much controversy, or shaped as much of the religious and legal heritage of the Muslim community as ijma — the principle of consensus. In this landmark scholarly study, Ahmad Hasan traces the full arc of this doctrine from its earliest social and political roots through the elaborate classical theory formulated by the great jurists of the medieval period and into the contested debates of the modern era.

Drawing on an exhaustive engagement with the primary Arabic sources — from al-Shafi'i's Risalah and al-Ghazali's al-Mustasfa to the usul works of al-Jassas, al-Amidi, al-Sarakhsi, and Ibn Hazm — Hasan examines the theoretical architecture of ijma with rigour and depth. He investigates the Qur'anic, hadith-based, and rational foundations advanced in its defence; the contested questions of who possesses competence to participate in consensus; the significance of silence (ijma sukuti); the conditions of time and unanimity; and the boundaries of the subjects upon which ijma operates.

The study opens with a richly documented account of ijma as an integrating force in the Muslim community — its relationship to the concept of jama'ah, its role in consolidating Sunni orthodoxy (Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah), and its emergence from the political upheavals of early Islamic history. Two chapters examine the political dimension of ijma, from the election of Abu Bakr to the theory of legislation and the institution of shura. An extended comparative chapter situates ijma within the broader history of religious institutions — the Buddhist Sangha, the Jewish Sanhedrin, and the Christian Church council — illuminating both its distinctive character and its universal function.

A final chapter surveys the major modern reinterpretations of ijma by thinkers including Shah Wali Allah, Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Ubayd Allah Sindhi, Muhammad Iqbal, Mufti Muhammad Abduh, Ziya Gokalp, and H.A.R. Gibb — each responding to the challenge of adapting this classical doctrine to the legal and political conditions of the modern Muslim world.

The Doctrine of Ijma in Islam remains the most comprehensive English-language monograph on this foundational principle of Islamic jurisprudence. It is indispensable for students and scholars of Islamic law, usul al-fiqh, Islamic political thought, and comparative religious law.

© 2026 Qadeem Press (E-bog): 9789366088044

Udgivelsesdato

E-bog: 25. maj 2026