Maqasid Al-Shari’ah: The Objectives of Islamic Law

By: Mohammad Hashim Kamali

“This essay is presented in five sections beginning with general characterisation of the maqasid al-Shari’ah and its origins in the Qur’an. The next section addresses the classification of the maqasid and a certain order of priority that is integrated into the structure of the maqasid. Section three is devoted to historical developments and the contributions of some of the leading ulama, especially that of Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Shatibi, to the theory of the maqasid. Section four looks into the differential approaches the ulama have taken toward the identification of the maqasid.”