Five Objectives of Islamic Law

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تُبْنَى الْأَحْكَامُ عَلَى حِفْظِ خَمْسَةٍ تُعَدُّ أُسَّ النِّظامِ الدِّينِ والنَّفْسِ والعَقْلِ والنَّسْلِ والمالِ

Judgments are based on the preservation of five essential values: religion, life, intellect, lineage, and wealth.

فَكُلُّ ما حَفِظَ هذِهِ الأُصُولَ فَهُوَ مَصْلَحَةٌ

Anything that preserves these principles is a benefit.

وَكُلُّ ما نَقَضَهَا فَهُوَ مَفْسَدَةٌ

And anything that violates them is a harm.

وَحِفْظُهَا يَكُونُ عَلَى ثَلاثِ دَرَجاتٍ الضَّرورِيّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يَقُومُ العَيْشُ بِدُونِها

Preservation occurs on three levels: necessities that life cannot go on without,

والْحاجِيّاتِ الَّتِي تَرْفَعُ الحَرَجَ وَالْمَشَقَّةَ

needs that alleviate difficulty and hardship,

والتَّحْسِينِيّاتِ الَّتِي تُهذِّبُ السُّلوكَ وتُجَمِّلُ الحَيَاةَ

and enhancements that refine behavior and beautify life.

وَمِن فِقْهِ المَقاصِدِ أَنْ يُوزَنَ الفِعْلُ بِثَمَرَتِه هَل يَدْرَأُ ضَرَرًا أَعْظَمَ أَمْ يَجْلِبُ نَفْعًا راجِحًا

From the understanding of the objectives, an action is weighed by its outcome: does it prevent a greater harm or bring a significant benefit?

فَإِذَا تَعَارَضَتْ مَصْلَحَتَانِ قُدِّمَتْ أَرْجَحُهُمَا

If two benefits conflict, the one with greater weight should be prioritized.

وَإِذَا تَزَاحَمَتْ مُفْسِدَتَانِ رُوعِيَ أَخَفُّهُمَا

If two harms compete, the least harmful should be considered.

وَمِيزَتُهُ أَنَّهُ يُبَصِّرُ النَّاظِرَ بِمَا وَرَاءَ الجُزْئِيَاتِ

Its distinctive feature is that it enlightens the observer to what lies beyond the particulars;

فَلَا يَكْتَفِي بِصِحَّةِ الإِجْرَاءِ بَلْ يَسْأَلُ هَلْ يُحَصِّلُ المَقْصِدَ

it is not enough to verify the correctness of the procedure; rather, one asks: does it achieve the objective?

وَهَكَذَا يُفْهَمُ تَنْظِيمُ العِلْمِ وَمَنْعُ الاعْتِدَاءِ وَصِيَانَةُ الأَمْوَالِ وَالعُقُودِ وَتَوْفِيرُ أَسْبَابِ التَّعَارُفِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ

Thus, the organization of knowledge, prevention of aggression, safeguarding of wealth and contracts, and provision of means for acquaintance and compassion among people is understood;

إِذِ المَقَاصِدُ مِيزَانٌ يُعِيدُ تَرْتِيبَ الأَوْلَوِيَّاتِ وَيَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ نَصٍّ مُحْكَمٍ وَعَقْلٍ رَاشِدٍ وَوَاقِعٍ مُتَغَيِّرٍ

For the objectives are a scale that reorders priorities and integrates clear text, sound intellect, and changing reality.