Istihsan

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Part of a series on the Usul al-fiqh
Fiqh
Qur'an and Sunnah Taqlid (imitation) Ijtihad (interpretation) Qualifications for a mujtahid madh'hab (school of law) Minhaj (method) Qiyas (analogical reasoning) Urf (society custom) Islamic jurisprudence Ijma (consensus) Bid‘ah (innovation) Madrasah (school/seminary) Ijazah (authorisation) Istihlal Istihsan Risalah
Ahkam
Halaal — legal Wajib/Fard — obligatory, duty Mustahab — favored Mubah — neutral Makruh — disliked, abominable Haraam — illegal, prohibited Baatil — void, incorrect Fasiq — corrupt
Scholarly titles
Marja — ... Ulema Khalifa Mufti Qadi Faqih Muhaddith Mullah Imam Mawlawi Sheikh Shaykh of Sufism Punjabi Shaikh Ayatollah Mujaddid Maulana This box: view • talk • edit

Istihsan (استحسان) is an Arabic term for juristic "preference". Muslim scholars may use it to express their preference for particular judgements in Islamic law over other possibilities. It is one of the principles of legal thought underlying personal interpretation or ijtihad.

Proponents of liberal movements within Islam have used istihsan and the similar idea of istislah (Arabic for "to deem proper") as ethical principles to favour feminist and reformist interpretations of the Qur'an and thus reform Islamic law.