Istihsan

Part of a series on Islam Usul al-fiqh (The Roots of Jurisprudence)
Fiqh
Quran and Sunnah Taqlid (imitation) Ijtihad (interpretation) Ijma (consensus) Madh'hab (school of law) Minhaj (method) Qiyas (analogical reasoning) Urf (society custom) Bid‘ah (innovation) Madrasah (school/seminary) Ijazah (authorization) Istihlal (legalization) Istihsan (discretion) Risalah (dissertation)
Ahkam
Halal (legal) Wajib/Fard (obligatory, duty) Mustahabb (favoured) Mubah (neutral) Makruh (disliked, abominable) Haraam (illegal, prohibited) Baatil (void, incorrect) Fasiq (corrupt)
Scholarly titles
Mujtahid (scholar of Islamic law with comprehensive understanding of the texts and reality) Marja (authority) Alim (scholar; pl. Ulema) Mufti (cleric) Mufassir (interpreter) Qadi (judge) Faqīh (professional counselor/jurist) Muhaddith (narrator) Mullah (scholar; pl. Ulema) Imam (Sunni and Shia) Mawlawi (scholar; pl. Ulema) Sheikh (elderly person, respected person, also sometimes scholar; pl. Ulema) Mujaddid (renewer) Hafiz Hujja Hakim Amir al-Mu'minin in reg. hadith Maulana (scholar; pl. Ulema)

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.

References

Kamali, Mohammad Hashim. Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. (2).