The ICCI library inaugurated its calendar of events on April the 26th with a symposium on the prominent Tunisian scholar, Grand Mufti, Shaykh of Al-Zaytuna; Muhammad Tahir Ibn Ashur and his book Maqasid al-Shari’ah.

It was to mark a series of regular academic symposiums focussing on Islamic thought and prominent Muslim thinkers.

By starting with Ibn Ashur, the ICCI library has demonstrated its intent to hold serious debate on Islamic thought at the highest of levels.

Dr Murad Smoui, form France who is an expert on Ibn Ashur and holds a PhD on Ibn Ashur’s Maqasid theory was invited to be the main speaker.

For the first part of the symposium, Dr Murad spoke on the life of Ibn Ashur, his family and upbringing as well as the geo-political, socio-economic and religious situation in Tunisia into which Ibn Ashur was born. He spoke of Ibn Ashur’s connection to the ‘Islahi movement’ and his endeavour to reform the education system of Zaytuna University, known as an institution that produces the bourgeois class in Tunisia.

The second part of the symposium focussed on Ibn Ashur’s book, Maqasid al-Shari’ah. It was Ibn ‘Ashur’s brave attempt to deal with the oversights of Usul al-fiqh; how Usul al-fiqh had by in large failed to contextualize the canon and neglected in many circumstances the overriding objectives that the Shari’ah aimed to fulfil regarding many of its legislations. He spoke of how Ibn ‘Ashur sought to find a methodology to ensure that the Shari’ah was constantly capable of providing answers regarding many of the issues that Tunisia was facing in the light of the French occupation and modernity.

After a lunch, we reconvened for questions and answers and an open panel discussion, which lasted for over an hour and a half.

The attendance was excellent for such an intellectually demanding symposium and was an excellent way to mark the events calendar of the ICCI library.