Maendeleo ya Fiqh iliyolengwa kwa Waislamu wa nchi ambazo Waislamu ni wachache, kama Amerika Kaskazini, India na nchi za Ulaya, yamekuwa mada ya majadiliano hivi karibuni katika baadhi ya taasisi za Kiislamu. Hoja ya kuwepo kwa "Fiqh ya Wachache" inategemea mambo mawili. Kwanza, hoja inasema kwamba Fatwa za zamani hazitumiki tena, na kwamba tafsiri mpya zinahitajika ili Uislamu uweze kutumika kwa Waislamu katika nchi hizi. Pili, hoja inasema kwamba Waislamu katika nchi hizi wanakabiliwa na matatizo ambayo hayakuwepo hapo awali, na kwamba suluhisho la matatizo hayo lazima liwe linafaa kwa matatizo hayo mahsusi wanayokabiliana nayo.

The development of a Fiqh tailored towards the Muslims of a country where Muslims are a minority like North America, India or the European countries has been of recent discussion in some Muslim organisations. The justification for “Minority Fiqh” is two fold. First, the argument is that the old Fatwas are no longer applicable and reinterpretations are necessary in order for Islam to be applicable to Muslims in these countries. Secondly, that Muslims in these countries face problems that never existed before, and the solutions to these problems have to be applicable to those specific problems that are faced by them.

Dkt. Taha Jabir al-Alwani, mtetezi mashuhuri wa mbinu hii bunifu, anaieleza Fiqh al-Aqaliyaat au Fiqh ya Wachache kama: “…wazo kwamba Mwanafiqhi wa Kiislamu lazima ahusishe fiqhi ya jumla ya Kiislamu na hali mahususi za jamii fulani, inayoishi katika mazingira maalum ambako kinachowafaa huenda kisiwafae wengine.”44 Anaendelea kusema kwamba: “...mwanafiqhi si tu lazima awe na msingi imara katika elimu za Kiislamu, bali pia lazima awe na ufahamu wa kina wa sosholojia, uchumi, siasa, na mahusiano ya kimataifa yanayohusu jamii hiyo.” Anadai kwamba lengo la Fiqh al-Aqaliyaat halikuwa: “…kuunda upya Uislamu, bali ni seti ya mbinu zinazoongoza jinsi mwanafiqhi angefanya kazi ndani ya unyumbufu wa dini ili kuitumia vyema katika hali mahususi.” Tukichunguza falsafa hii na hoja zake, tunaona kwamba mbinu hii inafanya hali mahususi inayokabiliwa, au mazingira kwa ujumla, kuwa chanzo cha sheria. Ni mbinu ya kipragmatiki kabisa. Matokeo yake, imesababisha kupuuzwa kwa baadhi ya hukumu za Shariah kinyume na yale yaliyothibitishwa kwa uhakika kutoka katika Qur’ani na Sunnah.

Dr Taha Jabir al-Alwani, a leading advocate of this innovative methodology, terms Fiqh al-Aqaliyaat or Fiqh of Minorities as: “…the idea that the Muslim Jurist must relate the general Islamic jurisprudence to the specific circumstances of a specific community, living in specific circumstances where what is suitable for them may not be suitable for others.”44 He continues to say that the: “...jurist must not only have a strong background in Islamic sciences, but must also be well versed in the sociology, economics, politics, and international relations relating to that community.” He claims that the purpose of Fiqh al-Aqaliyaat was not to: “…recreate Islam, rather it is a set of methodologies that govern how a jurist would work within the flexibility of the religion to best apply it to particular circumstances.” We can see from scrutinising this philosophy and its justifications, that this approach makes the particular situation that is faced, or the environment in general, the source of legislation. It is a wholly pragmatic approach. As a consequence, it has led to the neglect of certain shariah rules to the contradiction of what has been established with certainty from the Qur‟an and Sunnah.

Hoja zinazotumiwa kuhalalisha "Fiqh ya Wachache", kama vile hitaji la Maulamaa waliolelewa Magharibi au kufasiri upya Shari'ah ili iweze kutumika katika nchi zisizo na wengi wa Waislamu, zinatokana na mtazamo wa kushindwa na mtazamo usio wa Kiislamu.

The arguments used to justify “Minority Fiqh”, such as the need for Ulema “groomed” in the West or reinterpreting the Shari‟ah so as to make it applicable in non-Muslim majority countries are emanating from a defeated mentality and un-Islamic perspective.

Kwa mtazamo wa Kiislamu, mahali alipo Mujtahid hakuthibitishi wala kubatilisha Fatwa yake. Hili halijawahi kuwa sharti la kutoa Fatwa. Kwa maana yake, Mujtahid, awe anaishi Marekani au jangwani Sahara, ni lazima awe na ujuzi wa Shari‟ah pamoja na tatizo lenyewe kabla ya kutoa hukumu yoyote. Iwapo Mujtahid aliye Misri ataweza kuelewa tatizo kwa usahihi, Ijtihad yake itakubalika. Kwa hiyo, mjadala wetu unapaswa kuhusu uwezo wa Mujtahid, si mahali alipo.

From the Islamic perspective, the locality of the Mujtahid does not validate or invalidate his Fatwa. This has never been a prerequisite for issuing a Fatwa, by definition, the Mujtahid, whether living in America or in the Sahara Desert, has to be versed in the Shari‟ah as well as the problem before issuing any ruling. If a Mujtahid in Egypt were able to understand the problem correctly, his Ijtihad would be acceptable. Our discussion, therefore, should be limited to the ability of the Mujtahid rather than his location.

Suala kama la mwanamke wa Kimarekani kusilimu huku mumewe akibaki asiye Mwislamu si jambo jipya. Tatizo hili lilitokea wakati wa Mtume ﷺ pale binti yake Zaynab alipokubali Uislamu huku mumewe akibaki asiye Mwislamu. Kwa hiyo, ili kutatua tatizo hili leo, tunapaswa kurejea kwenye matini za kisheria na kuzisoma ili kupata hukumu ya Kiislamu. Jambo hili linatumika pia kwa masuala mengine yote.

An issue such as an American woman accepting Islam while her husband remains a non-Muslim is not a new issue. This problem occurred at the time of the Prophet (saw) when his (saw) daughter Zaynab accepted Islam while her husband remained a non-Muslim. Therefore, in order to solve this problem today, we need to go back to the legal texts and study them in order to acquire the Islamic ruling. This applies to all other issues as well.

Kuhusu masuala yanayohusu kuasili, wasia, urithi na mazishi, haya yana kanuni ambazo zimejadiliwa kwa kina katika Uislamu na haziwezi kubadilishwa. Ama matatizo mapya, hayo yanahitaji Mujtahid ili kuchimbua hukumu zake, iwe tatizo hilo linatokea Mashariki au Magharibi.

With regards to issues involving adoption, wills, inheritance, and burial, these have rules, which are discussed extensively in Islam and cannot be changed. As for the new problems, this requires a Mujtahid to extract rulings whether the problem happens in the East or the West.

Wazo la Fiqh ya Kimarekani, ya Kiulaya au ya Kihindi ni wazo geni linalolenga kupotosha asili ya Uislamu. Shari‘ah inatendewa kama sheria iliyotungwa na binadamu badala ya kuwa sheria ya Allah, Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Hili ni matokeo ya mawazo ya kushindwa yanayotaka kubadilisha Shari‘ah ili ilingane na jamii, badala ya kubadilisha jamii ili iendane na Shari‘ah.

The idea of an American, European or Indian Fiqh, is an alien concept that seeks to distort the nature of Islam. The Shari‟ah is being treated as a man made law rather than that of Allah, the Supreme. This is a result of a defeated mentality that seeks to change the Shari‟ah to fit the society rather than changing the society to conform to the Shari‟ah.

Je, Sira ya Mtume Muhammad (saw) haitutia moyo kubadilisha hali ili kutekeleza kile Mwenyezi Mungu (swt) alichoamuru? Ikiwa Waislamu wataruhusiwa kufasiri upya Shari‟ah kulingana na mazingira, hatutahitaji tena Shari‟ah kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu (swt) kupanga maisha yetu. Hili ni sawa na kujifanya kuchukua nafasi ya Shar‟i (mtunga sheria), Mwenyezi Mungu (swt).

Does not the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (saw) inspire in us the motivation to change the circumstance to apply what Allah (swt) ordered? If Muslims are allowed to reinterpret the Shari‟ah according to the environment, we will no longer need the Shari‟ah from Allah (swt) to organise our lives. This amounts to nothing short of assuming the role of the Shar‟i (legislator), Allah (swt).

Ingawa tuna madhehebu za Fiqh za Hanafi, Shafi‟i, Maliki na nyinginezo, hakuna hata mmoja wa waasisi wa madhehebu haya aliyejenga Fiqh yake kwa kuzingatia mazingira yake. Huu ni wazo jipya linalosambazwa kama hatua ya kuelekea Uislamu mpya, unaotegemea "Fiqh ya Kimagharibi" na "Aqeedah ya Kimagharibi". Tofauti zilizopo katika Fiqh miongoni mwa Mujtahideen zilitokana na tofauti ya kuelewa maandiko ya Qur‟an na Sunnah, si kufasiri upya Shari‟ah ili kuendana na mazingira.

Even though we have Hanafi, Shafi‟i, Maliki and other schools of Fiqh, none of the founders of these schools developed their Fiqh based on their environment. This is a new idea propagated as a stepping-stone towards a new Islam, one that is based on a “Western Fiqh”, and a Western „Aqeedah. The differences in Fiqh amongst the Mujtahideen were due to differential understanding of the text of the Qur‟an and Sunnah, not the reinterpretation of the Shari‟ah to conform to the environment.

Ummah ya Kiislamu haihitaji "Fiqh ya Kimarekani", "Fiqh ya Kiulaya" wala "Fiqh ya Kihindi" kwa sababu maneno haya yenyewe ni makosa. Hakuna Uislamu wa Kimisri, Kipakistani, Kimarekani, Kihindi au Kipalestina ili kuwe na Fiqh ya Kimisri, Kipakistani, Kimarekani, Kihindi au Kipalestina. Kuna Uislamu mmoja tu na Fiqh moja tu! Baadhi ya Waislamu wanadai kwamba kwa kuwa Waislamu walioko Magharibi ni wachache, hilo linatosha kuanzisha Fiqh ya Wachache. Kwa mfano, dai la ajabu linatolewa kwamba baadhi ya kanuni za Fiqh ya "kawaida" haziwezi kutumika katika jamii isiyo ya Kiislamu, ikiwemo Riba.

The Muslim Ummah does not need an “American Fiqh”, “European Fiqh” or an “Indian Fiqh” because these terms themselves are wrong. There is no Egyptian, Pakistani, American, Indian or Palestinian Islam in order to have an Egyptian, Pakistani, American, Indian or Palestinian Fiqh. There is only one Islam and only one Fiqh! Some Muslims claim that since Muslims in the West are minorities, this constitutes grounds for establishing a Minority Fiqh. For instance, a preposterous claim is made that some of the rules of the “classical” Fiqh cannot be applied in an un-Islamic Society, including Riba.

Kwanza kabisa, kuwa na fikra ya kuwa wachache ni kitu kigeni kwa Uislamu. Kama Mtume ﷺ angefikiri na kutenda kama mtu wa wachache ili kuanzisha haki za wachache huko Makka, pengine leo tusingekuwa Waislamu. Mtume ﷺ alitoa wito wa kuanzishwa kwa Uislamu kikamilifu. Huo ndio ulikuwa msimamo wa Mtume ﷺ tangu mwanzo kabisa wa Da‘wah. Hivyo basi, Waislamu hawapaswi kujiona kuwa wachache, bali wanapaswa kujiona kuwa wabebaji wa Ujumbe kutoka kwa Allah (SWT).

First of all, to have a minority mindset is alien to Islam. If Prophet (saw) thought and acted as a minority to establish minority rights in Makkah we would probably not be Muslims today. The Prophet (saw) called for the comprehensive establishment of Islam. This was the attitude of the Prophet (saw) from the very beginning of the Da‟wah. Thus, Muslims should not think of themselves as minorities but rather as carriers of a Message from Allah (swt).

Hukumu (kanuni) katika Uislamu ni za aina mbili:

The Ahkam (rules) in Islam are of two types:

a) Kanuni zinazohusu watu binafsi, kama vile sala, saumu n.k. Kila Mwislamu analazimika kufuata aina hizi za ʿIbadah, iwe Uislamu unatekelezwa katika jamii au hautekelezwi, na iwe mtu anaishi Makka, Delhi au Paris.

a) Rules related to individuals such as praying, fasting, etc. Every Muslim has to abide by these types of „Ibadah whether Islam is applied or not applied in a society and whether the person is living in Makkah, Delhi or Paris.

b) Sheria ambazo haziwezi kutekelezwa isipokuwa kupitia wakala wa Dola ya Khilafah, kama vile kutekeleza Hudud (adhabu), kukusanya Jizya, n.k.

b) Rules, which cannot be applied except through the agency of the Khilafah State, such as applying the Hudud (punishment) collecting Jizya, etc.

Si jukumu la mtu binafsi kutekeleza adhabu kwa niaba ya Dola. Kanuni hii inatumika Makka au Paris. Iwe mtu anaishi katika Dola ya Kiislamu au la, lazima azingatie kanuni zinazohusu watu binafsi. Hata hivyo, kuishi katika jamii isiyo ya Kiislamu hakumpi Waislamu ruhusa ya kuhalalisha, kuweka viraka, kuafikiana, au kubadilisha kanuni za Allah (SWT). Ni lazima tuelewe wazi kwamba hakuna sababu ya kuwepo kwa Fiqh ya Wachache. Kama Waislamu, ni lazima tuwe na imani ya kina ya kiakili kwamba Uislamu unatoka kwa Allah (SWT).

It is not the responsibility of an individual to apply any punishment on behalf of the State. This principle applies to Makkah or Paris. Whether a person lives in the Islamic State or not, he has to abide by the rules related to individuals. However, living in a non-Islamic society does not signal a green light for Muslims to justify, patch, compromise, or alter Allah (swt)‟s rules. It should be clear to us that there is no justification for a Minority Fiqh. As Muslims, we must have a deep rational conviction that Islam is from Allah (swt)

na hivyo basi lazima tuukubali kwa ukamilifu wake wote. Ukweli huu unapaswa kututia moyo kuishi kwa mujibu wa Uislamu na kuwaita watu kulitekeleza Uislamu katika jamii, kwa sababu Uislamu si kanuni zinazohusu watu binafsi tu, bali ni njia kamili ya maisha, Deen-ul-Haqq. Mtume ﷺ alisema:

and therefore we must accept it in its totality. This fact should motivate us to live according to Islam and to call the people to apply Islam in the society, because Islam is not just composed of rules related to individuals but is a comprehensive way of life, the Deen-ul-Haqq. The Prophet (saw) said:

"Uislamu ni bora zaidi, na ubora wake hauwezi kamwe kupitwa."45

“Islam is superior and its superiority can never be surpassed.”45