Mohammad Asri Zainul Abidin (b.1971) is the present government-appointed mufti of the Malaysian state of Perlis. A prolific writer and a sharp political commentator, many of his writings are hosted on his websitehttp://drmaza.com.[1]
Although Zainul Abidin writes on a wide range of issues, this article looks only at his discussion of the concept of taqlid or strict adherence to traditional fiqh, and the notion of tajdid or restoration and revival of what are regarded as authentic Islamic teachings. Engaging with these two doctrines, he articulates a methodology for developing more contextually-relevant perspectives on Islamic jurisprudence and theology.
The actual scope of the shariah in terms of enforceable law in Malaysia is strictly limited, mainly to family matters and to some crimes involving Muslims. In such matters, official muftis are supposed to issue opinions or fatwas in accordance with the established prescriptions of the Shafi' school, which is the school of jurisprudence followed by most Malaysian Muslims. In other words, they are generally expected to abide by taqlid of the Shafi' school. Yet, despite being the official Mufti of a Malaysian state, Zainul Abidin makes clear his uneasiness with the doctrine of rigid taqlid, presenting the concept of tajdid or renewal of the faith in its stead. In this way, he argues for reintroducing what he regards as the lost dynamism of Islamic jurisprudence in order to be able to suitably address new and rapidly social contexts and conditions. He may well be unique among the muftis of Malaysia in this regard, all of who are state-appointed. This is one reason why he is often quoted with approval by numerous 'progressive' Malaysian Muslim writers and activists.
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