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اجتهاد

English translation: Independent Reasoning

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Arabic term or phrase:اجتهاد
English translation:Independent Reasoning
Entered by: Gharbeia (X)

05:31 Nov 6, 2004
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Religion
Arabic term or phrase: اجتهاد
لا اجتهاد مع نص
Randa El Nomeir
Local time: 18:25
Independent Reasoning
Explanation:
The creative use of reason to apply Islamic law to contemporary situations. In the fourteenth century, th emajority of Muslims decided that "the gates of ijtihad" were closed and that scholars must rely on the legal decisions of past authorities instead of upon their own reseasoned insights. Shiite Mulslims, however, did not close the "gates of Ijtihad."
Selected response from:

Gharbeia (X)
Local time: 16:25
Grading comment
thank you this is the best answer
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1Ijtihad [Diligence or Discretion]
MElHelw
5Ijtihad (in italics).
ArabicSoft
5learning , grasp ,science , knowledge
Arabicstart
5Independent Reasoning
Gharbeia (X)
3jurisprudence/ effort/ exertion
tekki


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
اجتهاد
Ijtihad (in italics).


Explanation:
ijtihad (Arabic, original meaning "struggle") is a technical term of the Islamic law and means the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the sources of the law, the Quran and the Sunna. The opposite of ijtihad is taqleed, imitation. The person who applies ijtihad, the mujtahid, must be a scholar of Islamic law.
Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijtihad.

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Note added at 3 mins (2004-11-06 05:34:30 GMT)
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This term, like many others, is transliterated, rather than translated.

ArabicSoft
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 19:25
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
Grading comment
I think it should be translated into an english word, although I've seen it used as is before.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Viviane MA: but the meaning has to be explained between brackets and ijtihad originally means effort rather than struggle
2 hrs
disagree  Gharbeia (X): Wikipedia is not always the most correct. Jihad, not Ijtihad, is usually translated as struggle. They are both from the same root, but receive different translations in most cases
3 hrs
  -> It is a tradition now to transliterate culture-bound words like intifada (italics) or jihad (italics) or fatwa (italics). Ijtihad is very common now in writings on Islam and it is explained in brackets.
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: I think it should be translated into an english word, although I've seen it used as is before.

20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
اجتهاد
learning , grasp ,science , knowledge


Explanation:
لا اجتهاد مع ... نص ... وهو حتما لا اجتهاد فيه

Arabicstart
Local time: 11:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 7
Grading comment
weak
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: weak

38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
اجتهاد
jurisprudence/ effort/ exertion


Explanation:
Ijtihad is the effort that a qualified jurist put to arrive at a solution to a question/problem that has not been specifically dealt with by authoritative texts such as the Qur'an or the Traditions. I would translate it in its first occurence and then continue using the transliteration in the rest of the text.

Hope this helps

tekki
United States
Local time: 10:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 4
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
اجتهاد
Independent Reasoning


Explanation:
The creative use of reason to apply Islamic law to contemporary situations. In the fourteenth century, th emajority of Muslims decided that "the gates of ijtihad" were closed and that scholars must rely on the legal decisions of past authorities instead of upon their own reseasoned insights. Shiite Mulslims, however, did not close the "gates of Ijtihad."


    Armstrong, Karen; the Battle for God; Harper Collins; ISBN 0-00-638348-3
Gharbeia (X)
Local time: 16:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
thank you this is the best answer
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
اجتهاد
Ijtihad [Diligence or Discretion]


Explanation:
Ijtihad [Diligence or Discretion] : An independent judgment in legal question, based on the interpretation and application of the Four Foundations [Usul]: the Holy Qur'an, the prophet's Sunnah, Consensus of scholars and Analogy.
See web site referred by Doaa El Hefnawy (if I'm not mistaken, if I am then appologies) in حد الردة

MElHelw
Local time: 18:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sami Khamou: Discretion, interpretation
1 hr
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