Shabbar illustrates how ironically, the very individuals whose teachings were imitated the most – namely, the founders of the various schools of Islamic jurisprudence – were the most adamant in their condemnation and prohibition of taqlid, and their insistence on the importance of study, ijtihad, and the search for supporting evidence. Shabbar addresses the conditions that must be met by the mujtahid, that is, the individual deemed qualified to engage in ijtihad. He argues that intellectual - renewal in Islam does not abrogate existing notions or establish a new system of thought. Rather, it involves rediscovering and developing already existing ideas in keeping with the needs prevalent in our own times, and based on relevant rules, methodologies, and recognized constants. Thus, he makes the case that the proper approach to applying Islamic legal rulings to real-life situations calls for realism, moderation, and a sound creedal framework for thought and action. These elements are all vital, as not one of them alone can ensure proper application of the rulings of Islamic law. Once they are all present, however, and working in tandem, Shabbar affirms, we will have rejoined the links of the chain that makes up contemporary Islamic thought.
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