"The Maqasid Are the Qibla of the Jurists": A Critical Analysis of Contemporary References to and Usages of Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali's Dictum

Modernity reveals an intense preoccupation with the Intentions of the Sharia (maqasid al-shari'a) and reflections of premodern scholars on this legal concept. Within contemporary research in this field, the famous scholar Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111), who is counted among the pioneers of premodern contributions to the maqasid, occupies a special position. In addition to his general treatment of the maqasid, one dictum of his in particular is often referred to in the modern literature on the maqasid. The quotation reads: "The maqasid are the qibla of the jurists", which he mentioned in his book Kitab Haqiqat al-qawlayn and is indicative of the central position of the maqasid in al-Ghazali's (legal) thought. My investigation of the contemporary, primarily Arabic, literature on the maqasid which cites this popular dictum reveals that the quote is used for many reasons and in various contexts; however, a fuller engagement with the quote itself and in the context of al-Ghazali's thought, as well as in his book, takes place very rarely, if at all, and even then, it is cursory. In order to embed al-Ghazali's dictum in the wider frame of his thought, this article first presents his general maqasid-related thought and consequently expounds on it in the context of his book. To better understand the usage of the quote in modern scholarship, the current maqasid literature that refers to the dictum is analyzed and categorized, showing how authors deploy it and to what end.