What has befallen the nation in the modern era would have not happened if its scholars and intellectuals were aware of the machinations concocted against it at home and abroad. We should know that the secret of the nation’s survival, despite all the lethal blows dealt to it, is not the efforts of such scholars and intellectuals, but rather the Will of the Almighty Who has guaranteed preservation of the Glorious Qur’an and thus the preservation of this nation.

The Prophetic tradition inherited by scholars is not limited to knowledge only, as it primarily involves inheriting the Prophets’ mission in effecting reform and change through labor and toil to deliver the nation and bring about its welfare. So, the necessity of renewal is no longer debatable. It has become a clear-cut truth, based on history and canonical religious texts. Perhaps the Qur’an is the only Heavenly Scripture that refers to renewal, inspires Muslim theologians and philosophers and guides them to unprecedented philosophical avenues. The leading Muslim theologians and philosophers, since the era of the Prophets, exercised individual reasoning (Ijtihad) in renewing Sharia rulings when it was necessary. It is now high time to adopt a practical attitude towards debatable issues and issues unaddressed for fear of the reactions of hardline jurists who deem every attempt at renewal a deviation from the path of Sharia and negligence of the faith.

We should also resort to collective Ijtihad and invite major Muslim scholars who should investigate major issues, the most pressing of which are Takfir and its consequences, and the notions of Dar-ul-Islam (Muslim territory) and Dar-ul-Ḥarb (Enemy territory). They should also address issues related to pilgrimage, including initiation of the ritual state of ˀIḥrām for pilgrims coming to Saudi Arabia by air and sea, throwing stones at certain times, preaching hard work through issuing Fatwas that promote labor and forbid negligence and lethargy, etc. All these issues need subtle Ijtihad conducive to detailed solutions.