Saudi Crown Prince Affirms Quran as Constitution, Stresses Contextual Interpretation of Sharia
Read Also:
The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has affirmed that the Qur’an continues to play a central and binding role in the kingdom’s governance, but emphasized the importance of contextual understanding and nuanced interpretation of Islamic texts in implementing Sharia law.
During an interview with Al Arabiya News monitored by PRNigeria, the Prince stated that the government’s basic system of governance is based on the Quran and that the kingdom is bound to implement its teachings.
Sharia Punishments Require Explicit Stipulation
Crown Prince Salman clarified the specific legal threshold for enforcing Sharia punishments, stating they can only be enforced with “a clear Quranic stipulation or an explicit stipulation from the Sunnah” (prophetic tradition).
He added that in social and personal affairs, the government is only obliged to implement stipulations that are clearly in the Qur’an.
Jurisprudence as a Living Process
The Prince also stressed the need for continuous interpretation of Islamic texts, recognizing that jurisprudence is a living process shaped by time and circumstance.
He argued that “All fatwas should be based on the time, place, and mindset in which they are issued”.
The Prince gave an example, noting that a fatwa issued 100 years ago was based on the limited inputs and information available at the time, which change over time due to new knowledge and technology.
By PRNigeria
