The Trust-Based Foundation of the Science of Maqasid

Description

Following his book “Ethical Concepts Between Trust and Secularism,” in which the renowned Moroccan philosopher Taha Abd al-Rahman laid the foundations of his theory of trust-based ethics, he now applies this theory to the field of Maqasid (objectives of Islamic law). He argues that this science is built upon the principle of claiming expertise in determining the objectives of Islamic law. When a scholar of Maqasid says, “This is what the Lawgiver intended by His ruling,” he is not only claiming knowledge of the ruling itself, but also claiming to judge it. This makes the scholar of Maqasid not only a scholar but also a judge. If his knowledge of the legal ruling grants his knowledge legitimacy, then his judgment on the legal ruling necessitates that his knowledge acquire legitimacy, in addition to legitimacy. This innovative thinker undertook the task of elucidating the foundational principles that provide the “science of objectives” with the necessary “legitimacy,” explaining how this foundational provision, while opening unprecedented ethical horizons within this discipline, necessitates a re-examination of certain concepts, perceptions, and assumptions that still hinder its expansion into a broader field, preventing it from becoming a universal ethical science.