I keep coming across this idea/word/whatever in my studies. I am getting conflicting responses about what it means. I was wondering if any of you had ever heard of it, and had an idea of its meaning. Thanks.

I refuse to believe that there are NO Muslims on this board, and that NO ONE studies religion enough to answer my question.... Anybody? Anybody?!

Ijtihad is the process practised by a jurisprudent to discover

secondary divine legislation (laws) regarding the organizing of human

life and his diverse relations or endeavouring to discover and deduce

the Islamic laws and regulations from their sources like the laws

concerning worship, possession, business, property, judiciary, politics

and family affairs...etc.)

Ijtihad is a learning (knowing) process and has a important,

progressive and civil role in the life of an individual and the

society altogether with the state. It also participate in developing

the civil life and opening the legislative prospects before it.

Without the process of Ijtihad, many human activities are difficult

to develop in the sphere of an Islamic life.

Human society is a developing entity. Human actions, relationships and

activities are ever-increasing and ever-expanding. Many things are

invented that were non-existent before. Banks, insurance companies,

radio and television and the other discoveries are new phenomena which

are to be used correctly and in harmony with Islamic teachings. If

there are no fuqaha'(jurisprudents), how could codes and regulations

concerning such institutions be derived at?

This process of Ijtihad is responsible for catering to all the needs

of the human society and which provides answers to all questions

which may arise in this field. Without the process of Ijtihad, a

faithful Muslim will find himself in a dilemma.

The First Attitude: To petrify, solidify and isolate every new

development in life because he has no knowledge concerning his

legal responsibility or duty and the ambiguity of such special

legislative laws concerning new affairs in human life..


http://www.balagh.com/english/articles/IJTIHAD.htm

Thank you. I was actually told that ijtihad is evil, and people who practice it are going against Allah. I thought it was basically a form of independent thought. I found that the opposite of ijtihad is taqleed (imitation). Several Muslims I have met act as if they are afraid of knowledgeoutside of hadith and Qu'ran.. and they use hadith MORE than Qu'ranic ayats. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question... I will visit the link for more info.