The present work is meant to be a rational analysis and deeper study of Shah Wali Allah's Conception of Ijtihad and Taqlid with Special Reference to 'Iqd al-Jid fi Ahkam al Ijtihad Wa 'l-Taqlid. The first chapter is introductory depicting the historical background of the time, life and works of Shah Wali Allah, the intellectual atmosphare and the human environment under which he lived and had his being. The second chapter deals with the meaning, implication and the bases of Ijtiyhad; the definition of Ijtihad as offered and discussed by Shah Wali Allah as well as its comparison and contrast with the definitions of other legistic theorists. In this sphere we have focussed attention on Shah Wali Allah's peculiar religio-synthetic attitude vis-a-vis the logicalistic attitude of others. We have tried to place on the table his relenting attitude of roominess in accommodating multifarious opinons, views, verdicts and judgments into one grand, high and deep religious milieu where indefiniteness tends to touch infinitiy and the variety desolves into unity. The third chapter deals with the problem of sizing up the necessity of Ijtihad, resolving the controversial issue of admissibility of gaps and vacuity occurring in the continuity of mujtahids for the guidance of general masses of the Muslims and the historical problems of admitting the closure of the door of Ijtihad or non-closure. In this respect we have made a broad survey of this last issue in considerable details. The fourth chapter discusses Ijtihad of the Holy Prophet, its admissibility, nature and distinction with considerable details. The fifth chapter deals with the conditions of the absolute majtahid, and the knowledge of logical argumentation and methodology which are superadded by Shah Wali Allah, as necessary requirement. The sixth chapter deals with the classifications of mujtahids into four gradations and admissibility of piece-meal Ijtihad confined to any particular segment of human life. The seventh chapter deals with the legal nature of Ijtihad with special reference to contending verdicts of more than one mujtahids as to whether on controversial points both sides are right or not and whether there exists any process of preferential treatment of one verdict over another and Shah Wali Allah's peculiar specification on this issue. The eighth chapter nearing the end of our dessertation deals with the nature of taqlid, its classifications, legal position and admissibility or prohibitedness of taqlid and its various contingent issues arising out of it. The nineth and concluding chapter consists of a summary of the general discussion and enumeration of the points specially touched by us in course of our discussion of the problems of Ijtihad and taqlid. Towards the end, a lengthy appendix placing therein an annotated English translation of Shah Wali Allah's masterly treatise on the subject of this work namely, 'Iqd al-Jid fi Ahkam al-Ijtihad wa'l -Taqlid, that is to say, the Neclace of the Rules of Ijtihad and Taqlid. At the end, a selected bibliography has been provided with and arranged alphabetically by mentioning the surname first. But in case of Muslim names, the general rule of alphabetic order by surnames of authors is not strictly maintained, rather they have been inserted in the natural order for avoiding technical difficulty.
Professor Dr. Muhammad Athar Ali, son of Marhum Muhammad Ali, a devoted teacher and researcher, was born in a traditional Muslim family of the village Jhinai in the Dhunat upazilla of Bogra district in 1942 A.C. Dr. Ali got his Kamil degree in Hadith (Mumtaz al-Muhaddithin) from the Mustafawiyah 'Aliyah Madrasah, Bogra in 1961 A.C. He did his B.A. (Hons.) in Islamic History and Culture from the University of Rajshahi in 1966 A.C. and took his Master's degree in the same subject in 1967 A.C. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Chittagong availing the Chittagong University Fellowship in 1993 A.C. He served the Government Carmichael Collage, Rangpur up to 1976 A.C. He served the Government Carmichael Callage, Rangpur up to 1976 A.C. Then he joined the University of Chittagong in the Department of Islamic History and Culture in the same year. Dr. 'Ali has a good number of articles published in research journals of home and abroad. In personal life he is the father of two daughters and one son.
