Studying Fiqh: An Interview with Shaykh AbdulNasir Jangda
Saniyah Qazi
This interview was originally published in Volume 3 of By the Pen.
Question 1: What was it like studying fiqh as an ʿĀlimīyah student? What were some methods used by different teachers to teach fiqh and which did you enjoy/benefit from the most?
Studying fiqh as an ʿĀlimīyah student was much like studying any complex subject — it required developing the ability to decipher the language of the texts in the early stages. However, what I came to appreciate most was exploring shurūḥ and expanding my understanding beyond the core texts. Sometimes this meant not just relying on direct commentaries but also delving into parallel works of fiqh or even more advanced texts. Challenging myself to navigate those sources and reconcile them with what we were studying was both invigorating and deeply rewarding.
Different teachers had varying methods of instruction. Some primarily focused on translating and interpreting the text, while others delved into tertiary issues and detailed numerous furūʿ. However, the most impactful teachers were those who approached fiqh through the lens of uṣūl. They would engage in taʿlīl (reasoning), explaining the underlying rationale behind rulings and demonstrating how the framework of fiqh and uṣūl al-fiqh were intricately connected. This approach, in the long run, proved to be the most beneficial and insightful.
Students taking an exam at Jamia Binoria, Karachi | From binoria.org
Question 2: Over your years of study, what methods did you use to study fiqh? Which did you think were most effective?
There are two key methods I found most effective in studying fiqh:
Extensive reading (istīʿāb) – I emphasize this to graduating ʿĀlimīyah students every year. Covering a wide range of material provides breadth in understanding. The more you read, the more your intellectual horizons expand, allowing you to grasp the context and depth behind rulings. This broader perspective enhances comprehension and appreciation of fiqh as a discipline.
Analyzing the ʿillah (legal reasoning) – One of the most beneficial practices was challenging myself to understand and assess the ʿillah behind a ruling. This deepens engagement with the text and fosters a more analytical approach to fiqh, moving beyond memorization to critical reasoning.
Question 3: What do you like most about fiqh as a subject? For graduates and upperclassmen who may be in a position where they are teaching fiqh, what advice would you give on how to make the subject engaging as opposed to memorizing a list of rulings?
What I love most about fiqh as a subject is its problem-solving nature. It’s very much like math—you’re presented with a problem, apply a particular formula or set of principles, and arrive at a conclusion. That’s what I find to be most exciting and most interesting about fiqh as a subject.
For graduates and upperclassmen teaching fiqh, my biggest advice is to emphasize this problem-solving aspect rather than simply presenting a list of furūʿ. The general community doesn’t have the ability and capacity to absorb hundreds of rulings at once. We can sometimes inundate them and overwhelm them by just going through dozens and dozens of furū’. Instead, by framing fiqh as a practical approach to solving real-life issues, you achieve two things: you equip people with the knowledge they need while also strengthening their confidence in Islam and the sharīʿah as a source of guidance and solutions.
Question 4: What made you decide to specialize in the subject?
What drew me to specialize in fiqh was its problem-solving nature. But beyond that, uṣūl al-fiqh is, in my view, part of the miracle of Islam. The fact that our entire religion is built upon a cohesive, systematic framework—where every ruling can be traced back to foundational principles—is something unparalleled in other religions, laws, and frameworks.
Other legal systems, like the modern U.S. legal framework, attempt to function in a similar way, with the Constitution serving as a supposed universal code. However, the inconsistencies and incoherencies within such systems are countless. In contrast, uṣūl provides a structured, comprehensive approach through which any legal or ethical issue can be addressed. To me, this coherence and adaptability are part of the divine nature and iʿjāz (miraculous nature) of our dīn.
Question 5: What was your experience as an iftāʾ student like?
It’s a lotttt of reading. It’s a lot of reading. Whatever a lot of reading means to someone when they hear that, it’s more reading than even that. There’s a lot of deep thinking. You have to really exercise your brain and your logic. That’s something I really enjoyed and something that came naturally to me, but the level of reading is something I really recall, and again that’s something enjoyable, but something you have to be very disciplined about. Sometimes you’re spending 10-12 hours a day just nonstop reading.
Question 6: What value do you find in students having specialized in fiqh that a regular ʿĀlimīyah student wouldn't have? What added knowledge can a student gain by doing iftāʾ?
The breadth and the depth. Breadth comes from the sheer volume of reading. Depth comes from the practical problem-solving aspect. An iftāʾ student doesn’t just study theory; they actively apply it by working through up to 300 real-world fatāwá. It’s the difference between someone who understands math conceptually and someone who has solved 300 complex problems—they develop sharper analytical skills, the ability to think quickly, and a deep familiarity with how legal principles apply in various scenarios. That’s the added value of iftāʾ.
Question 7: Any advice for students who may be considering iftāʾ in the future?
My advice for students considering iftāʾ is to focus on two key areas:
Really develop your ability to read, comprehend, and process huge amounts of text. Just keep working on that, because once you enter that realm, you have to really hit the ground running. You have to be able to go a hundred miles per hour.
Familiarize yourself with the terminology and the frameworks of the uṣūlīyūn. You’re going to need that kind of uṣūlī systematic thinking to succeed at fiqh and fatwá.
