Criteria for Considering Social Customs in Islamic Legislation and their Impact on Legal Edicts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35516/Hum.2025.9452Keywords:
Social norms, Norm, Customs, Fatwa, Mufti.Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to identify the nature of social norms, and determine the criteria of their consideration from a social and legal perspective. The study also aimed to explore the impact of those norms on the formulation and modification of Islamic legal rulings.
Methods: The study relied on an inductive approach via tracing the concept of social norms and customs, and their significance according to scholars of Islamic law and sociology. It also examined a number of Islamic legal fatwa based on social norms in traditional Islamic jurisprudential texts. Additionally, the study used an analytical approach via analyzing the views of Islamic law and sociology scholars regarding the concept of norms and its characteristics in an endeavor to establish criteria for their consideration, and projecting those criteria to a number of contemporary legal issues.
Results: The study results showed that the valid norm, as recognized by scholars of Islamic law and sociology, is based on several essential criteria. These criteria dictate that the norm should be a voluntary human action, beneficial to individuals, and characterized by general acceptance, prevalence, consistency, and widespread occurrence.
Conclusion: The study recommends the necessity of muftis’ taking into account the prevailing social norms when issuing Islamic legal edicts or rulings. It also advocates for increased collaboration between Islamic law scholars and sociologists to study social phenomena and their impact on Islamic legal ruling.
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Accepted 2025-01-05
Published 2025-06-22
