The Discourse of Obligation in the Works of Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Ashur: A Study Based on His Book *Al-Tahrir wa-al-Tanwir*

Abstract

In his Tafsir al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir, Ibn Ashur addresses the concept of religious obligation (taklifi) as the Quranic discourse that requires the individual to perform an action or refrain from an action. This discourse revolves around the five well-known rulings: obligatory, recommended, forbidden, disliked, and permissible. However, Ibn Ashur does not merely state the ruling in isolation. Rather, he connects it to the objectives of Islamic law (shari'ah) and the underlying reasons for legislation. He clarifies the wisdom behind the obligation and its intended purpose, distinguishing between the fundamental principle of obligation and its application according to circumstances. He explains the dispensations and removes hardship, thus revealing to him that religious obligation is a means of achieving righteousness and alleviating the difficulties faced by the community and its lived reality.