Reviving Ijtihad

jurisprudence, they would have recognized that the modern concept of freedom provides a unique opportunity to pursue their objectives through nonviolent methods, aligning with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. Military Mindset and Peaceful Means The military mindset is so deeply ingrained in contemporary Muslims that almost no Muslim remains unaffected by it. This mindset is perpetuated in various forms across different contexts. For example, a line from a Palestinian song states: “Halumma noqatil, halumma noqatil, fa inna al-qitala sabeel al-rashad” (Come, let us fight, come, let us fight, because fighting is the way to success). This mental framework, rooted in ancient jurisprudence, became so prevalent that even modern thinkers could not escape its influence. Figures like Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838–1897), Sayyid Qutb (1906–1966), Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), and Sayyid Abu al-A‘la Maududi (1903–1979) were also caught in this mindset. This has been a key reason why the sacrifices of contemporary leaders have failed to yield significant results. The example of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) demonstrates how a peaceful approach can be more effective than armed struggle in the modern era. Gandhi joined the Indian freedom movement in 1919. Until then, the movement was based on the principle of violence, which the British government countered with their own violent measures. Gandhi abruptly announced that