GCEIslamic Religious StudiesIslamic Law (Shari'ah)2022

Which of the following BEST describes the role of 'Ijtihad' in Islamic Law?

ABlind imitation of the rulings of earlier Muslim scholars
BIndependent legal reasoning by a qualified scholar to derive rulings on new issuesCORRECT
CThe formal codification of Islamic Law by the state
DRecitation of Qur'anic verses in daily prayers
AI
Toaster Teacher
Why the answer is B, and why the others tempt you.
Ijtihad refers to the maximum effort expended by a qualified jurist (mujtahid) to derive a legal ruling on a matter not explicitly addressed in the Qur'an or Sunnah, using scholarly reasoning and established principles. It is the opposite of Taqlid (blind imitation). Ijtihad is essential for addressing contemporary issues within the framework of Shari'ah.
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