Mujtahid

A Mujtahid is a Muslim jurist who is qualified to interpret the Islamic Law(Syara') and thus to generate Ijtihad. Ijtihad is an Islamic legal term that means "independent reasoning" or the utmost effort an individual(Mujtahiddin) can put forth in the evaluation of Islamic law by using both the Qu'ran and Hadith as resources.

In general mujtahids must have an extensive knowledge of Arabic, the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and legal theory (Usul al-fiqh) etc. But due to their divergent beliefs among the Mujtahiddin regarding the persistence of divine authority, have different views on ijtihad. In Islam, it's either you are a Mujtahid (one that expresses their own legal reasoning), or you are a Muqallid (emulation - one performing Taqlid of a Mujtahid).

A mujtahid mutlaq or "absolute mujtahid" is one that has attained the rank of the Four Imams Abu Hanifa, Malik, al-Shafi`i, and Ahmad Hanbali in knowledge of Arabic, qualification to apply legal reasoning, draw analogies, and infer rulings from the evidence independently of the methodology and findings of other Mazhab, through his own linguistic and juridical perspicuity and extensive knowledge of the texts.

JENIS-JENIS MUJTAHID

1) Mujtahid mutlaq mustaqil (absolute independent Mujtahid)

Ini merupakan tingkatan fuqaha paling tinggi. Seorang mujtahid mustaqil memiliki kemampuan untuk menetapkan Qawaid(kaedah) Fikih berdasarkan kesimpulan terhadap perenungan dalil Al Quran dan Sunnah. Selanjutnya, kaedah-kaedah ini digunakan sebagai landasan dalam membangun pendapatnya. Di antara ulama yang telah mencapai derajat mujtahid mustaqil adalah para imam mazhab yang empat.

2) Mujtahid mutlaq yang tidak mustaqil (non independent Mujtahid)

Mereka adalah orang yang telah memenuhi persyaratan dalam berijtihad secara independent, namun mereka belum membangun kaedah sendiri tetapi hanya mengikuti methodology imam mazhab dalam berijtihad. Mereka memiliki kemampuan menetapkan hukum dari beberapa dalil sesuai dengan kaedah yang ditetapkan Imam Mazhab.

3) Mujatahid muqayyad (Mujtahid muqallid - terikat)

Mereka memiliki kemampuan untuk Qiyas keterangan2 yang disampaikan oleh imam mazhab, untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan baru yang tidak terdapat dalam keterangan2 ulama mazhab. Pendapat hasil ijtihad ulama ini disebut dengan “al wajh”(Ashab Al Wujuh). Kekhilafan(perbezaan pendapat) biasa berlaku diantara ulama2 Mujtahid muqayyad sehingga sering dijumpai dalam penjelasan di buku2 fekah.

4) Mujtahid takhrij

Mereka adalah ulama yang men-takhrij beberapa pendapat dalam mazhab. Kemampuan mereka dalam menguasai prinsip dan pengetahuan mereka dalam memahami landasan mazhab telah menjadi bekal bagi mereka untuk menguatkan salah satu pendapat.

Takhrij menurut istilah adalah menunjukkan tempat hadis pada sumber aslinya yang mengeluarkan hadis tersebut dengan sanadnya dan menjelaskan darjatnya ketika diperlukan(Usul Hadis).

5) Mujtahid tarjih

Mereka adalah mujtahid yang memiliki kemampuan memilih pendapat yang lebih benar dan lebih kuat, ketika terdapat perbezaan pendapat, baik perbezaan diantara pendapat imam2 mazhab atau perbezaan diantara pendapat imam dengan muridnya dalam satu mazhab.

6) Mujtahid fatwa

Mereka adalah para ulama yang memahami pendapat mazhab, serta menguasai segala penjelasan dan permasalahan dalam mazhab, sehingga mereka mampu menentukan mana pendapat yang paling kuat, agak kuat, dan lemah. Namun, mereka belum memiliki kepiawaian dalam menentukan landasan Qiyas dari mazhab.

7) Muqallid (orang yang taklid)

Mereka adalah orang yang tidak mampu membezakan diantara pendapat yang kuat dan yang tidak kuat. Mereka tidak mempunyai fahaman Ulum Quran, Ulum Hadist, Usul Fiqh dll. Inilah tingkatan umumnya masyarakat.

In order to become an Islamic jurist, it is required for a student to receive an 'ijazat attadris wa 'l-ifa' (license to teach and issue legal opinions), equivalent to the Juris Doctor and Doctor of Laws qualifications, from a Madrasah or Jami'ah, equivalent to a college and university respectively. This system of legal education dates back to the 9th century, during the classical period of Islam.

Minimum requirements to be qualified as a mujtahiddin are:

1. Knowledge of the Arabic language and the ways in which its signifies meanings. This knowledge does not come except to one who has frequented its various disciplines and read much of the works of its masters of eloquence until he knows how to differentiate between the specific and the general, the literal and the figurative, the explicit and the ambiguous, and other aspects upon knowing which depends his ability to infer rulings.

2) Knowledge of Qur'an and Sunnah and whatever is in them of rulings, those that were abrogated and those that were not, together with the linking up of the universal with its particulars, the absolute with its restricted sense, and the general with the specific.

3) Knowledge of the objectives of the Law(Maqasid Syariah) and of the living contexts of people as well as the customs(Urf) they share and whatever harms or benefits them(maslahah and mafsadah), and the knowledge of legal rulings(aayaatul ahkaam), analogical deduction and the knowledge of the General Maxims of Fiqh to compare and contrast their similarities so as to better understand facts and infer the rulings that most precisely correspond to the objectives of the Lawgiver and implement the welfare of those under consideration.

Unless one professes such ability, they would have no choice but to follow(emulator or muqallid) a mujtahid methodology to reached certain Islamic ruling. For example, the definition of Yin and Yang...to some it's good vs evil, to others it's soft vs hard or positive vs negative or white vs black or heaven vs earth, water vs soil etc, etc. So, whose definition is correct? The role of a mujtahid is to produce a methodology to clarifies such matters to avoid misinterpretation.

Wallahu'alam