Parewa Saraq: Journal of Islamic Law and Fatwa Review
Vol. 5 No. 2 (2026): Parewa Saraq: Journal of Islamic Law and Fatwa Review

The Maqāṣid al-Sharī'ah Approach in Contemporary Islamic Fatwas: A Systematic Review of Methodological Integration and Jurisprudential Coherence

Ahmad (Universitas Islam Negeri Kendari, Indonesia)
Akbar (Universitas Islam Negeri Kendari, Indonesia)
Andi Abdul Kadir Andi Kitta (Muhammadiyah Association, Singapore)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Jul 2026

Abstract

The application of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah in contemporary fatwa issuance has become an important methodological development in Islamic jurisprudence, particularly in addressing emerging issues in family law, finance, healthcare, technology, and environmental governance. This systematic review evaluates how maqāṣid-based reasoning is applied, justified, and methodologically integrated in contemporary fatwa discourse. A comprehensive search of Semantic Scholar using five search strategies identified studies on maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, fatwa formulation, and contemporary Islamic law. After screening 138 deduplicated records, 90 studies met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently conducted study selection and data extraction, while risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed using domain-specific criteria and the GRADE framework. The included studies primarily addressed family law (32%), finance (24%), healthcare (10%), technology (8%), food and ḥalāl (6%), environmental governance (4%), and other issues. Findings indicate that the classical five objectives of maqāṣid—ḥifẓ al-dīn, ḥifẓ al-nafs, ḥifẓ al-ʿaql, ḥifẓ al-nasl, and ḥifẓ al-māl—remain the dominant analytical framework, although recent scholarship increasingly recognises ḥifẓ al-bīʾah (environmental preservation) as an emerging objective. Across jurisdictions, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, and Iran, significant tensions persist between formal legal compliance and substantive ethical objectives, while institutional procedures for implementing maqāṣid-based fatwas remain inconsistent. Although maqāṣid al-sharīʿah demonstrates substantial adaptability to contemporary legal challenges, methodological standardisation across fatwa institutions is still limited (very low certainty of evidence). The review recommends developing harmonised methodological guidelines and strengthening institutional coordination to improve the consistency, transparency, and effectiveness of future fatwa formulation.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

PS

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Social Sciences

Description

Parewa Saraq: Journal of Islamic Law and Fatwa Review is a double-blind peer-reviewed journal published by Majelis Ulama Indonesia South Sulawesi Province. The journal publishes research articles, conceptual articles, and book reviews of Islamic law and fatwa review (See Focus and Scope). The ...