Human nature, values, and human existence and development are all intertwined in the notion of Maqa?id al-Shari?ah, which supports the well-being of humans, including those with mental health concerns. The high degree of mental health difficulties among students, such as severe stress and depressive symptoms, not only impact their academic performance but also lead to self-injurious behaviour and suicidal attempts. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting Malaysian university students’ mental health, this article aims to explore the situation from a Maqa?id al-Shari?ah perspective and positive psychology. The study employed a mixed-method approach. Firstly, a quantitative descriptive analysis was done to assess students’ overall mental health symptoms to provide a rudimentary assessment of their core psychological problems. Questionnaires were accompanied by an open-ended question to triangulate respondents’ experiences and were analysed qualitatively through a thematic analysis. A DASS-21 survey was given to 87 undergraduate IIUM students (n = 81) aged 19 to 27 years. Based on the maqa?id framework, the study could be utilised to prioritise strategies to treat mental health concerns at various levels that will ensure the preservation of human life. The ultimate purpose of this research is to provide future implications for a multidimensional framework of psychological well-being based on Maqa?id al-Shari?ah principles. This is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that calls for action to protect humanity and to ensure that all individuals are living in peace and prosperity.

Muslims who pray five-time daily prayers recite ?alah upon the Prophet (?) regularly. However, many of them neglect or do not give importance to its recitation outside the prayer. The reason of this negligence primarily goes back to their ignorance about the numerous benefits of this recitation and disadvantages of not reciting it. Using the descriptive and analytical methods and based on the Qur’anic verses, a?adith of the Prophet peace be upon him (?) and opinions of Muslim scholars, this paper will highlight the rulings of the recitation of ?alah upon the Prophet (?) inside and outside the prayer. Likewise, it will focus on the benefits of this recitation and disadvantages of not reciting it. This paper concludes that the preferable view about the recitation of ?alah inside the prayer is that it is sunnah mu’akkadah; and the preferable view about its recitation outside the prayer is that it is obligatory after each hearing of the name or mention of the Prophet (?), and it is recommended to recite it as much as possible without any specific limit.

Muslims who pray five-time daily prayers recite ?alah upon the Prophet (?) regularly. However, many of them neglect or do not give importance to its recitation outside the prayer. The reason of this negligence primarily goes back to their ignorance about the numerous benefits of this recitation and disadvantages of not reciting it. Using the descriptive and analytical methods and based on the Qur’anic verses, a?adith of the Prophet peace be upon him (?) and opinions of Muslim scholars, this paper will highlight the rulings of the recitation of ?alah upon the Prophet (?) inside and outside the prayer. Likewise, it will focus on the benefits of this recitation and disadvantages of not reciting it. This paper concludes that the preferable view about the recitation of ?alah inside the prayer is that it is sunnah mu’akkadah; and the preferable view about its recitation outside the prayer is that it is obligatory after each hearing of the name or mention of the Prophet (?), and it is recommended to recite it as much as possible without any specific limit.

There is no doubt that the ten different forms of qira’at mutawatirah themselves are a source of Islamic law because they are connected to the Holy Qur’an, hence this article explores how they can have an impact on the difference of opinions of jurists. Therefore, when determining the legitimacy of Shari?ah law, these 10 qira’at are accepted by u?uli scholars, jurists, ?adith scholars, and ’a’immah of the Islamic schools of law. But beside these ten, there are three extra rare (shadhdhah) qira’at, i.e. the qira’ah of al-?asan al- Ba?ri, Ibn Mu?ay?in al- Makki, and Sulayman al- A’mash; and also there are some qira’at used by some of the Prophet’s Companions. Due to their lack of fulfilling the conditions of the qira’ah mutawatirah, the majority of scholars are in the favor of not practicing according to them because they maintain that they aren’t the Qur’an. Al-Banna al-Dimya?i further noted that usuliyyun and jurists have consensus that the qira’ah shadhdhah does not belong to the Qur’an. Thus, it is essential to write on this topic and adhere to the practical examples of the ten qira’at of the Qur’an without the rare ones. The problem of this study revolves around the impact of the differences between the qira’at, as the difference between any two qira’at mutawatirah may have a jurisprudential impact and be a reason for the disagreement of scholars on many legal issues, in which it may be difficult for fiqh students to know the cause of the dispute. This is because of lack of knowledge or unfamiliarity with the qira’at. So, this article helps to shed some light on the subject. The researchers followed the inductive-analytical approach by extrapolating the Qur’anic qira’at and collecting their examples as much as possible. But it is a partial extrapolation as it clarifies and presents some examples only. This is because of the limitations of the research paper. The study came to several conclusions, including: the Qur’anic 10 qira’at are one of the most crucial methods for extrapolating rulings from the Qur’anic texts, and as such, they have a considerable bearing on the divergent opinions of jurists about Shari?ah rulings. The ten qira’at of the Qur’an are authentic and have been transmitted in a direct line from the Prophet Muhammad (?). The article urges experts in qira’at, Qur’anic science, and Shari?ah scholars to promote and disseminate these 10 categories of qira’at among Muslims because according to the opinions of the scholars, they are all parts of the Qur’an.

It is evident that the name of Abu al-?asan ?Ali bin Isma?il al-Ash?ari is related with the School of Islamic law of Imam Mu?ammad bin Idris al-Shafi?i in many places and circumstances. It is also evident that most of the teachers of Imam Ash?ari belong to the Shafi?i School of thought. Simultaneously, several biographers and historians also attributed Imam Ash?ari to Shafi?i School of thought while scrutinizing the schools of Islamic Jurisprudence and U?ul al-Fiqh. Hence, this study aims to elaborate the reality of the relationship between Imam Ash?ari and Imam Shafi?i and explain similarities and differences between them along with the impacts that led to u?uli discourse. It is imperative to mention that it is hard to find a clear academic view exploring Ash?ari’s u?uli contribution and its roots that were connected to Imam Shafi?i in the history and how Imam Shafi?i influenced this personality (i.e. Ash?ari) who is considered as an incredible Islamic scholar. In doing so, the researcher will employ the inductive method in identifying the roots of the relationship between these two imams scattered in the books of U?ul al-Fiqh and biographies of scholars. Furthermore, the researcher will employ the analytical method to figure out the fundamental factors of this relationship. Therefore, this study will organise the chapters and parts of this relationship through making comparison between two of them and elaborating their similarities and discrepancies. The article further analysed the developments that took place in u?uli thought from the era of Imam Shafi?i to the Shafi?i scholars whom Ash?ari met or learned from, down to his u?uli thought. Through all of this, the researcher arrived at a clearer picture of the truth regarding the madhhab and u?uli thought of Imam Ash?ari, along with whether, to a certain extent, his u?uli thoughts were compatible with that of Imam Shafi?i or not.

An autopsy is a crucial method for detecting crime and is included in the Code of Criminal Procedure as one of the essential procedures for obtaining evidence, especially biological evidence, in the body of the deceased to determine the cause of death. Despite this, some jurists maintain that autopsy is not permissible because it harms the dead, and Shari?ah prohibits all forms of aggression and harm to humans, whether they are alive or dead. This study aims to shed light on the extent to which the principle of necessity is allowed in the process of forensic autopsy, and the importance of this study lies in clarifying the ruling of necessity from the Islamic perspective. The researchers used an inductive method to collect information and a comparative analytical study, and the interview which was conducted with forensic doctors and the police to collect information about the practice of autopsy in Malaysia. The researchers discovered that the cases in which the autopsy was performed in Malaysia are in accordance with the Shari?ah, due to their necessity.

Since the coronavirus pandemic appeared and spread around the world, countries, including Malaysia, have resorted to imposing restrictions on the movement of people to preserve the necessary objective of protecting life. Among these restrictions are comprehensive home quarantine and social distancing. These restrictions have been accompanied by many fears, such as economic and health concerns, especially the fear of being infected with the coronavirus, and the terrifying rumours of the impact of the virus that are widely spread on social media. These had a direct negative impact on people’s mental health, resulting in multiple psychological illnesses, such as mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and other psychological illnesses of varying degrees, sometimes even leading to suicide. Therefore, this study, through inductive and analytical approaches, reveals the negative effects of home quarantine on psychological and mental health in Malaysia and the means to implement the necessary measures to protect the life from COVID-19. The main findings of the study include that the preservation of life and intellect can be achieved through several means, including faith-based means such as trusting in Allah (SWT), establishing prayer, fasting, patience, and seeking reward from Him; as well as behavioural means such as sleeping and waking up early, doing some physical exercises regularly; and practising deep breathing exercises that relieve tension. Other means include the responsibility of the government and its relevant ministries to broadcast programs related to mental health care and provide psychiatrists to alleviate the burden of the pandemic.

COVID came and left bitter memories among human societies, such as the rise of unemployment, leaving many deaths, and an increase of orphans and widows. This undoubtedly negatively affects the social cohesion worldwide. The bitter truth is that orphans of corona victims are one of the painful social and economic consequences of this pandemic. Every society will eventually have to deal with their sponsorship. It also negatively affects the structure and organization of the family due to the large number of victims who were the heads of the families. Therefore, this research aims to clarify the objectives of Shari?ah in protecting orphans and to reveal the role of the obligatory will (wa?iyyah) in achieving it and the sustainability of sponsoring orphans of Covid-19 and similar humanitarian disasters. This is done by adopting two basic approaches. The first is inductive, and the other is descriptive. The inductive method is used to trace concepts related to the topic in the sources, references, and heritage books. The descriptive approach is used to explain the objectives of Shari?ah and their importance in achieving social and economic interests, and how they are employed in meeting the needs of orphans in Islamic societies. The study reached some results and recommendations for the coordination and implementation of the obligatory will in the Muslim community to assist orphans from COVID-19, which has caused death of many parents worldwide. And it is worthwhile to activate the system of obligatory will to achieve the public interest of caring of COVID orphans by providing them with the social, economic, and educational needs and including it in a personal status law, if possible. The study suggests further research on a legitimate alternative to care for COVID victims, such as using the Social Endowment to manage the affairs of COVID-19 orphans in the Muslim community.