(Part 48)
The Ninth Topic:
Jurisprudence and Fulfilling the Legal Needs of the Societies
The Second Speech: Disagreement on Legislating Rulings
There is no consensus on legislating jurisprudential rulings, and contemporary scholars have various opinions on the permissibility of doing so. The following are some of the arguments and reasons for the prohibition of legislating Islamic jurisprudential rulings:
The First Reason: Numerous Qur’anic verses emphasize the obligation to rule solely by what Allah has revealed. For instance:
«إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَكُنْ لِلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا» (النساء، 105).
“Indeed, we have sent down to you the Book in truth so that you may judge between people by what Allah has shown you. So do not be an advocate for the deceitful.” (Surah An-Nisa: 105)
«يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ» (ص، 26).
“Judge between the people with truth and do not follow desire, lest it lead you astray from the way of Allah.” (Surah Sad: 26)
These verses emphasize the requirement to issue judgments firmly according to divine revelation, avoiding personal whims or fabricated legislation.
The Inadmissibility of Codifying Jurisprudential Rulings
The fact in matters of disagreement and ijtihād (independent legal reasoning) is concealed or un-known. When a set of rulings formulated by a group of scholars is made binding as the predominant opinion for judges to follow, the possibility of deviating from the truth arises. This can prevent judgment according to the truth in certain issues. Therefore, codifying the jurisprudential rulings is not permissible.
Second Reason:
The verses of the Holy Qur’an emphasize the obligation to refer the differences in points of views to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (swt). The Almighty says:
“And in whatever you differ, its ruling is [to be referred] to Allah.
«وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ» (الشوری، 10).
Translation: And if you disagree about anything, his judgment is referred to God.
Elsewhere the Almighty Allah says:
«يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا» (النساء، 59).
“If you dispute in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.” [An-Nisa: 59]
From these verses, it is understood that in cases of disagreement, the judgment must be referred to the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him). However, the ruling of Allah in controversial matters is not confined to one special school of thought or the predominant opinions within them. As a result, codifying jurisprudential rulings would have unified judges to issue rulings based only on the codified laws, even if there are differing scholarly views on the matter. In such instances, this may lead to judgments that go against what the judge believes to be true.