Cikakken bayani na farko game da sharuddan Mujtahid yana cikin littafin al-Mu'tamad fi Usul al-Fiqh na Abu' Husayn al-Basri (d. 436/1044). Tsarin bayanin al-Basri ya samu karbuwa daga baya, tare da ɗan canji kaɗan, daga al-Shirazi (d. 467/1083), al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111) da al-Amidi (d. 632/1234). Wannan ba yana nufin cewa malaman da suka rayu kafin al-Basri ba su kula da sharuddan Ijtihad ba, sai dai ba su ga ya zama dole su kafa sharuddan Ijtihad ta wannan hanya ba. Malaman fiqhu na Hanafiyya, Fakhr al-Islam 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Bazdawi (d. 483 H) da `Ubaydullah ibn Mas'ud Sadr al-Shar‟iah, dukkansu sun bayyana cewa domin yin Ijtihad, mai fiqhu ya zama yana da ilimin Alkur'ani tare da ma'anarsa, ƙamus da ma'anarsa ta fiqhu, da rarrabuwarsa daban-daban, da ilimin Hadisai, ciki har da nassoshinsu da masanansu, da kuma dokokin ƙiyasi (Qiyas).38

The earliest complete account of the qualifications of a Mujtahid is given in Abu' Husayn al-Basri's (d. 436/1044) al-Mu'tamad fi Usul al-Fiqh. The broad outline of al-Basri's exposition was later accepted, with minor changes, by al-Shirazi (d. 467/1083), al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111) and al-Amidi (d. 632/1234). This does not mean that the requirements of Ijtihad received no attention from the Ulema who lived before al-Basri, however they did not see it necessary to lay down the conditions for Ijtihad in this manner.The Hanafi jurists, Fakhr al-Islam 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Bazdawi (d.483 A.H.) and `Ubaydullah ibn Mas'ud Sadr al-Shar‟iah both stated that to perform Ijtihad a jurist should have knowledge of the Qur‟an together with its meaning, dictionary and legal, and its various divisions, of the traditions (Hadith) including the texts and authorities thereof, and of the rules of analogical deduction (Qiyas).38

Waɗannan su ne sharuɗɗan da ake buƙata domin yin Ijtihadi. Waɗannan sharuɗɗan suna fitowa ne daga ma'anar Ijtihadi, wacce ta dogara ga takamaiman hujjoji kamar yadda aka bayyana a baya.

The following are the qualifications needed to perform Ijtihad, these qualifications are derived from the definition of Ijtihad which is based on specific evidences as explained earlier:

A. Mujtahid dole ne ya zama Musulmi, namiji ko mace, mai cikakkiyar hankali, wanda ya kai matsayi mai girma na ƙwarewar ilimi.

A. The Mujtahid must be a Muslim male or female of sound mind who has attained a high level of intellectual competence.

B. Tun da nassin Alkur'ani da Sunnah an saukar da su ne da harshen Larabci, ijtihadi ba zai yiwu ba sai bisa ga nassin Larabci. Dole ne mutum ya san harshen Larabci har zuwa inda zai ba shi damar fahimtar Alkur'ani da Sunnah daidai. Cikakken iya Larabci ba sharadi ba ne ga wasu nau'o'in Mujtahidai, amma Mujtahid dole ne aƙalla ya san ƙananan al'amuran harshe da suka shafi batun da ke gabansa. Haka kuma dole ne ya iya fahimtar majiyoyin daidai, ya kuma fitar da hukunci daga cikinsu. Ya kamata ya san isasshen abin da zai ba shi damar fahimtar yanayin Larabawa da al'adar amfani da harshensu a zamaninsa, har ya iya bambance alamomin ma'anar lafuzza (Dalaalat al-alfaaz) ta fuskar: daidaituwa (Mutaabaqah), haɗawa (Tadmeen), buƙata ta dole (Iltizaam), Mufrad (ɗaya), Murakkab (haɗaɗɗe), gabaɗaya (Kulli), ɓangare (Juz'i), ma'ana ta zahiri (Haqeeqah), ma'ana ta alama (Majaaz), kalma mai ma'anoni daban-daban (Ishtiraak), kalmomi masu ma'ana ɗaya (Taraaduf), ma'anar da aka faɗa (Mantuq) da ma'anar da aka fahimta a ɓoye (Mafhum), da sauransu.

B. Since the text of the Qur‟an and Sunnah were revealed in the Arabic language, Ijtihad can only be performed based on the Arabic text. One must have knowledge of the Arabic language to the extent that it enables a correct understanding of the Qur‟an and the Sunnah. A complete command in Arabic is not a requirement for some kinds of Mujtahideen, but the Mujtahid must, at least, know the fine points of the language related to the subject at hand. He must also be able to comprehend the sources accurately and deduce the rule from them. He should know enough by which he can understand the circumstances of the Arabs, the current customary usage in their speech such that he can distinguish the textual indications (Dalaalat al-alfaaz) in terms of the following: congruence (Mutaabaqah), inclusivity (Tadmeen), requisite (Iltizaam), Mufrad (singular), Murakkab (construct), comprehensive (Kulli), partial (Juz‟i), Haqeeqah (literal), Majaaz (metaphorical), homonym (Ishtiraak), synonym (Taraaduf), uttered meaning (Mantuq) and implied meaning (Mafhum) etc.

C. Mujtahid kuma yana buƙatar ya zama masani a kan Alƙur'ani, da abubuwan da ke cikin Alƙur'ani na Makkah da na Madina, da dalilin saukar ayoyi (Asbab al-Nuzul), kuma yana buƙatar ya fahimci abubuwan doka na Alƙur'ani sosai, amma ba lallai ba ne ya fahimci labarai da misalai na Alƙur'ani da ayoyin da ke magana a kan Lahira. Sanin Ayat ul-Ahkam (ayoyin hukunce-hukunce) ya haɗa da sanin tafsirin da ke da alaƙa da su, musamman dangane da Sunnah da ra'ayoyin Sahabbai (RA) game da maudu'in da ake magana a kai. A cewar wasu malamai, ciki har da al-Ghazali, Ibn al-Arabi, da Abu Bakr al-Razi, adadin ayoyin doka na Alƙur'ani da mujtahid dole ne ya sani ya kai kimanin ɗari biyar. Sai dai Shawkani da wasu sun lura cewa irin wannan ƙayyadadden adadi ba zai iya zama tabbatacce ba.

C. The Mujtahid also needs to be knowledgeable of the Qur‟an, the Makki and Madani contents of the Qur‟an, the occasion of theirrevelation (Asbab al Nuzul) and must have a full grasp of the legal contents of the Qur‟an, but not necessarily of the narratives and parables of the Qur‟an and its passages relating to the Hereafter. The knowledge of the Ayat ul Ahkam (verses regarding rules) includes knowledge of the related commentaries (Tafsir) with special reference to the Sunnah and the views of the Sahabah (ra) related to the subject at hand. According to some Ulema, including al-Ghazali, Ibn al-Arabi, and Abu Bakr al-Razi, the legal ayat of the Qur‟an which the mujtahid must know amount to about five hundred. Shawkani and others, however observe that a specification of this kind cannot be definitive.

D. Mujtahid dole ne ya mallaki isasshen sani game da Sunnah, musamman sashen da ya shafi ijtihadinsa, kuma ya saba da hukunce-hukuncen da ke cikin Sunnah. Haka kuma dole ne Mujtahid ya san lamuran nassoshin da aka soke (naskh) a cikin Sunnah, da kuma amincin masu ruwaito hadisi.

D. The Mujtahid must possess an adequate knowledge of the Sunnah, especially the part relating to his Ijtihad and be familiar with the rulings in the Sunnah. The Mujtahid must also know the incidents of abrogation in the Sunnah and the reliability of the narrators of Hadith.

E. Ya zama wajibi ya sami ilimin Usul al-Fiqh domin ya san hanyoyin fitar da hukunce-hukunce daga nassi da abin da suke nunawa.

E. He must have knowledge of Usul al-Fiqh so that he will be acquainted with the procedures for extracting the rulings from the text and the implications.

F. Mujtahid ya kamata ya san ra'ayoyin sauran Mujtahidai, idan akwai su. Yana da muhimmanci ga Mujtahid ya saba da dalilan sauran Mujtahidai a kan wata matsala ta musamman, da yadda sauran Mujtahidin suka fahimci dalili da matsalar.

F. The Mujtahid should be aware of the opinions of different Mujtahideen, if any exist. It is essential for a Mujtahid to be familiar with the Daleels of other Mujtahideen, on a particular issue as how the other Mujtahid understood the Daleel and the issue.

G. A ƙarshe, dole ne ya kasance yana da cikakken ilimi game da al'amarin da ake yin Ijtihadi a kansa. Domin fitar da kowane hukunci, sai mutum ya fahimci maudu'in sosai. Idan Mujtahid bai fahimci al'amari ba, ba a yarda ya yi Ijtihadi ba, ko a ina yake zaune. Domin fahimtar al'amarin, Mujtahid na iya zuwa wurin masana. Misali, ana iya samun wata matsala a fannin injiniyar halittu (genetic engineering). Domin fahimtar yadda injiniyar halittu take aiki, Mujtahid na iya zuwa wurin kwararre a wannan fanni.

G. Finally, he must have a comprehensive knowledge of the issue on which Ijtihad is being performed. To extract any ruling one has to understand the subject thoroughly. If the Mujtahid does not understand an issue, he is not allowed to do Ijtihad regardless of where he lives. To understand the issue, the Mujtahid can go to experts. For instance, there might be an issue in genetic engineering. To understand the process of genetic engineering, the Mujtahid can go to an expert in this field.

Saboda haka, waɗannan sharuɗɗan sun isa su cancanci mutum ya yi Ijtihadi, kuma kuskure ne a ce kowace matsala tana bukatar mujtahid ya zauna a cikin wannan muhallin.

Therefore, these criteria are enough to qualify one to do Ijtihad, and it is incorrect to say that each issue requires the Mujtahid to reside in that environment.

Mujtahid na iya zama ko'ina kuma ya yi Ijtihadi muddin yana da masaniya game da al'amarin da ake magana a kansa. Idan Mujtahid ba shi da masaniya game da al'amarin, bai halatta masa ya yi Ijtihadi ba, koda kuwa al'amarin ya faru a cikin muhallin da Mujtahid ɗin yake zaune a ciki.

The Mujtahid can reside anywhere and do Ijtihad as long as he is familiar with the issue being dealt with. If the Mujtahid is not familiar with the issue, he is not allowed to do Ijtihad, even if the issue occurs in the same environment that the Mujtahid is residing in.