Al Hurriyah : Jurnal Hukum Islam
Vol 11 No 1 (2026): June 2026

The Dialectics of Islamic Law: Classical Ijtihad in Addressing Modern Legal Challenges

Rasty Azizah Putri (Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang)
Hamda Sulfinadia (Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang)
Sobhan Sobhan (Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang)
Bakhtiar Bakhtiar (Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang)



Article Info

Publish Date
10 Jun 2026

Abstract

This research examines the relevance of classical Islamic legal methodology in addressing contemporary legal challenges. Although various studies have discussed the historical development of Islamic legal thought and the contributions of the imams of the schools of thought, studies on the dialectical relationship between classical ijtihad and modern legal issues are still limited. This research aims to analyze the ijtihad methods of Abu Hanifah, Malik ibn Anas, al-Syafi'i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal and their relevance in the contemporary context. This research uses a qualitative method with a historical-comparative approach through literature review. The results show that classical ijtihad methodology remains dynamic and adaptive. Each imam has his own characteristic methods, such as ra'y and istihsan (Abu Hanifah), ‘amal ahl al-Madinah and maslahah (Malik), systematic qiyas  (al-Syafi'i), and a hadith based approach (Ahmad ibn Hanbal), which provide a flexible basis for legal reasoning. This approach remains relevant in responding to contemporary issues such as Islamic finance, digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI) including automated fatwa systems, and bioethics through a reinterpretation of classical principles. This research confirms the dialectical interaction between classical legal thought and contemporary realities and demonstrates that classical Islamic legal methodology can be reconstructed as a flexible analytical framework.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

alhurriyah

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

Al Hurriyah: Jurnal Hukum Islam is a journal which publishes the research results related to the Islamic law from various disciplines or interdisciplinary such as Sharia Economy Law or Islamic Economy Law/Muamalah, Islamic Constitutional Law/Siyasah, Islamic Family law/Ahwal Al-Shakhsiyah, Islamic ...