Taqlid (Conformity) and Tajdid (Renewal)

 Taqlid (Conformity) and Tajdid (Renewal)

Excerpt #28 from my book:  Qur’an, Hadith, and Hikayat:  Exercises In Critical Thinking.

October 26, 2025

 

Taqlid and tajdid are established traditions in Islam. Taqlid refers to strict adherence or conformity to precedence, as with the interpretations of eminent scholars of yore. The closer the scholar was to the Prophet in time as well as presence, the greater would be the relevance and reverence.

 

         The comparable concept in law would be stare decisis, “to stand by things decided,” to give deference to earlier decisions. Had stare decisis been adhered to, slavery would still remain legal to this day in America.

 

         Taqlid has the same root as the word rein, hanging loosely around the horse’s neck to guide the beast. The operative word is “guide.” Those qualified to interpret the holy texts are the mujtahid (thinkers) and faqih (jurists). There is a slight difference between the Sunni and Shiite concept of taqlid, the latter emphasizing the controlling over the guiding.

 

         That taqlid is being abused to inhibit critical thinking in so many ways and at all levels throughout history by those in power to maintain the status quo is also well acknowledged. Hence the prevailing mantra, “akal (intellect) has no place in matters of faith!”

 

         If only we pause and wonder why Allah has endowed us all with akal, an attribute unique only unto humans! Not using akal means not appreciating or worse, belittling His precious gift.

 

         The antithesis of taqlid is tajdid (renewal or reform), also a well-established tradition. That is a tacit recognition of the infinite variety of the human self, existence, and experience across time and place such that any rigid proscription would be untenable. The Qur’an (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:2), “This is the book . . . of guidance for those mindful of Allah!” A guide, not a manual or law book!

 

         A prophetic tradition has it that there would arise every century a leader who would renew the faith. Implicit in that is the recognition that with time there would be the inevitable erosion to and associated accretions on Allah’s original pristine message. 

 

         I attended religious school in the afternoon during my primary school years in the 1950s. However, the inquisitiveness nurtured by my teachers at my morning secular school resulted in my having many disciplinary problems in my religious class. I asked too many questions! In my culture that was (and still is) the height of impertinence!

 

         The ustad would tell the class that syaitan (Satan) had entered my mind to create all those doubts, hence my questions! The fact was I had difficulty reconciling what he had taught me with what I had learned in my science class earlier in the day. There I learned that the earth rotates around the sun, a journey that takes about a full 24-hour day to complete. To my ustad however, it was the angels dragging the sun across the blue sky with huge invisible cables! The end result was that my father had to take me out of that religious school. Wise move!

 

         Islam as being taught from the lowest preschool right up to the highest graduate level, as well as in sermons, ceramahs, and public lectures, suffers from one crippling defect – the traffic is all one-way. Add to that, listeners dispensing with their critical faculties when listening.

 

         There is minimal discussion or further inquiries in such events. Everything has been written or laid out in the holy book as well as in the treatises of those ancient scholars. There is little need for ordinary mortals to add to the discussions. Just follow and adhere to what has been written, taught, or uttered by those ancient luminaries. Taqlid is strict adherence to precedents; you deviate at your own peril. It is not so much teaching and enlightening, more dispensing and indoctrinating.

 

         If you think things are different at the graduate level in Malaysia, stay tuned. 

 

Next:  Islamic Studies at The Graduate Level in Malaysia