Wujub Tatbiq al-Sharia al-Islamiyya fi Kull Asr
- Author died
- 1439 AH
- Editions
- Dar Balansiyyah for Publishing and Distribution
Wujub Tatbiq al-Sharia al-Islamiyya fi Kull Asr (The Obligation of Implementing Islamic Law in Every Era) is a contemporary treatise on Islamic governance and jurisprudence by the Saudi jurist Salih ibn Ghanim al-Sadlan (d. 1439 AH / 2017 CE), examining the religious duty, theoretical foundations, and practical mechanisms of governing by Islamic law.
Background and Composition
Al-Sadlan completed the manuscript in Rajab 1409 AH (February 1989 CE) while serving as a professor at the College of Sharia at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. The work was motivated by the political and legal conditions of the contemporary Muslim world, where man-made positive legal systems had largely displaced Islamic jurisprudence. Al-Sadlan noted that although an Islamic awakening had stimulated conferences and calls for legal restitution, efforts were impeded by political reluctance, misconceptions, and secular opposition, prompting him to compose a structured exposition on the necessity and practical avenues of legal implementation.
The first edition was published in 1417 AH (1997 CE) by Dar Balansiyya in Riyadh as a single volume of 361 pages.
Contents and Structure
The book consists of an introduction and seven main chapters followed by analytical indexes:
- Introduction: Outlines the decline resulting from abandoning Islamic legislation and states the motivations for the book.
- Chapter 1: Duties and Responsibilities of Muslim Peoples towards Islam (Wajibat wa-Mas'uliyyat al-Shu'ub al-Muslima nahwa al-Islam), treating political rights as religious duties and detailing the obligations of rulers and subjects in enacting Islamic law.
- Chapter 2: Principles and Foundations Requiring Belief for the Implementation of Sharia (al-Qawa'id wa-l-Usus al-Mulzima al-Iman biha Tatbiq al-Shari'a), detailing seven doctrinal principles, including the universality, comprehensiveness, and perpetuity of Islamic law, its accommodation of human capacity through legal dispensations (rukhas) and custom (urf), and governance principles like consultation (shura), justice, and equality.
- Chapter 3: Ruling by Other than What Allah Revealed (al-Hukm bi-Ghayr Ma Anzal Allah), addressing theological rulings and documenting classical and contemporary scholarly verdicts on when such governance constitutes major or minor disbelief.
- Chapter 4: Motives and Causes for Neglecting Governance by Revelation (Asbab wa-Bawa'ith Adam al-Hukm bi-Ma Anzal Allah), citing weak faith, appeasement of foreign powers, ignorance of Sharia, intellectual doubts, and false claims regarding the rigidity of Islamic legislation.
- Chapter 5: Negative Consequences of Not Applying Islamic Law (al-Nata'ij al-Salbiyya al-Murattaba ala Adam Tatbiq Shar' Allah), covering adverse effects across creed, worship, social life, governance, economy, and criminal justice.
- Chapter 6: Methods and Means by Which Rulers Can Implement Islamic Law (al-Turuq wa-l-Wasa'il allati Yastati' biha al-Hukkam Tatbiq al-Shari'a), exploring administrative, legislative, and institutional mechanisms across public life.
- Chapter 7: Gradualism in the Execution and Application of Sharia (al-Tadarruj fi Tatbiq wa-Tanfidh al-Shari'a), discussing the strategic pacing of implementation and practical application across three distinct political contexts: Islamic states enforcing Sharia, Muslim nations under non-compliant governments, and Muslim minorities living in non-Muslim states.
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