What Does Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning) Mean in Arabic?
اِجْتِهَاد
ijtihad
Root: ج ه د
Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning) Ijtihad is the exertion of maximum effort by a qualified scholar to derive a legal ruling from the Quran and Sunnah. It is the engine of Islamic legal development. The Prophet said a mujtahid who reaches the correct ruling gets two rewards, and one who errs gets one reward — encouraging scholarly engagement. Ijtihad allows Islamic law to address new situations while remaining grounded in divine sources.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning)
What does Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning) mean in Islam?
Ijtihad is the exertion of maximum effort by a qualified scholar to derive a legal ruling from the Quran and Sunnah. It is the engine of Islamic legal development. The Prophet said a mujtahid who reaches the correct ruling gets two rewards, and one who errs gets one reward — encouraging scholarly engagement. Ijtihad allows Islamic law to address new situations while remaining grounded in divine sources.
What is the Arabic root of Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning)?
The Arabic root letters of Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning) are ج ه د.