This inspiring collection of sacred maxims is drawn from the genre known in Arabic as al-qawa‘id al-fiqhiyyah.

These maxims are pithy sayings that Islamic scholars use as a guide for Islamic practice in a wide range of areas, from the rituals of worship to financial transactions.

Though technically translated as “legal maxims”, the array of topics these maxims cover encompass the core ethical principles at the heart of the Shariah.

Given its concision, each maxim is rich in meaning, and the commentary provided by Dr Shahrul Hussain gives us a glimpse into the maxim’s significance.

The commentaries, written by a Western Islamic scholar, bring out the relevance of each maxim to the English speaking reader.

This latest instalment in Kube’s Treasury Series in Islamic Thought and Civilisation, will help deepen the understanding of key aspects of Shariah in its legal and ethical dimensions.

Each maxim has three elements which will be discussed:

1) The intellectual coinage of the juristic maxim.

2) Its legal justification (hujjiyah), and

3) Its moral philosophy.

Each maxim will be explained, followed by examples of how it is applied in Islamic law.

The Hujjiyah of the maxim will be discussed and concluded by discussing the moral message the maxim gives.