Part One: SEERAH (Biographical Sketch) CHAPTER

C:\Users\Admin\Dropbox\The Message - Material of Maulana\16. Books and Review\Apa's Books\Life And 74 The companions left Madinah after their zuhr (noon) prayer. But, when the sun was about to set they had still not reached the Banu Qurayza. Seeing this, some of them said that if they followed the Prophet literally they would miss the time specified for their Asr (afternoon) prayer. So they said their prayers midway. Others differed from this opinion, saying that they would say their prayers only after reaching the settlement of Banu Qurayza, as the Prophet had bade them. When these people returned to Madinah, this issue was brought before the Prophet. The Prophet approved the decision taken by those who had said their prayers before reaching their destination. They contended in justification of their act that when the Prophet told them to say their Asr prayer only after reaching the Banu Qurayza, he intended only to accelerate their journey and reach the destination as soon as possible. This incident makes the sense of Ijtihaad clear. We can say that Ijtihaad is a process of arriving at reasoned decisions to suit new circumstances in order to better fulfil the purposes of the Shariah. Both the Prophet and his companions exercised Ijtihaad. The Ijtihaad of the Prophet served to instruct the companions in the method of Ijtihaad. Ijtihaad is a process which is always at work in Islam. The commandments of Islam are eternal in nature but the circumstances keep changing. That is what necessitates the proper understanding of the spirit of Islamic commandment and seek their reapplication in changed circumstances. For instance the Muslim community has been commanded in the Quran to prepare for power. (8:60) Power has been defined as the ability to inspire awe in the enemy. In ancient times power meant possessing an army and weapons. But today, after the great progress made in science and industry, circumstances have been totally revolutionised. Now power is not confined to military weapons alone. Now education, social institutions, journalism, industry, scientific research, economy, the electronic media, etc. are all sources of power. Now on the question of the preparation for power, a Mujtahid, (literally one who strives) for making original decisions on canon law, rather than applying precedents already established) can say that the