Do Theories, Interpretations, and Fatwas Also Become Invalid?

By Muhammad Rizwan-ul Haque

Founding Chairman, Dawood Family Takaful | CEO of an Investment Bank | Director of a TrustOriginally published: September 29, 2016

Introduction

For centuries, capitalism dominated much of the global economic system. In 1848, Karl Marx challenged this dominance through his book The Communist Manifesto, presenting an alternative ideology in open revolt against prevailing structures.

During the first half of the twentieth century, many countries adopted communism. However, by the end of the century, most had abandoned it, with only a few nations continuing to follow that framework. This historical shift raises an important question: do man-made theories eventually lose validity?

The Limits of Man-Made Theories

Throughout history, human beings have attempted to formulate theories and systems in pursuit of excellence, reform, or control. Sometimes these efforts were driven by genuine concern for justice; at other times, by self-interest. Regardless of intention, man-made theories are inherently limited by human understanding and context. As circumstances change, these theories are often revised, rejected, or replaced.

The Question of Riba in Modern Finance

The contemporary handling of Riba (interest), particularly through financial engineering and benchmarking Islamic financial products against conventional interest rates, is argued to be a man-made construct that does not fully align with the principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

By pegging transactions to prevailing interest rates, such practices risk functioning merely as extensions of capitalist structures rather than offering a genuine alternative. Even if the initial intention was noble, practical experience suggests that reliance on interest benchmarks may discourage real economic activity and undermine socioeconomic justice. The resulting inequalities can contribute to broader social and economic instability.

The Supremacy of the Qur’an and Sunnah

Given these concerns, it becomes necessary to revisit the issue of Riba directly in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah. While human theories may evolve or become obsolete, divine guidance remains constant and supreme.

The Qur’an states:

“And those who hold fast to the Book and establish prayer — indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of the righteous.”(Surah Al-A‘raf, 7:170)

This verse emphasizes adherence to divine revelation as the ultimate safeguard.

A Universal Covenant

Allah (SWT) reminds humanity:

“And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam — from their loins — their descendants and made them testify concerning themselves, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes, we testify.’ — lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Indeed, we were unaware of this.’”(Surah Al-A‘raf, 7:172)

This verse underscores that humanity cannot claim ignorance of divine guidance.

Why This Message Must Be Repeated

The reminder regarding Riba and adherence to divine injunctions is not merely theological; it is ethical and societal. Revisiting the original message ensures that individuals and institutions cannot later claim they were unaware of the divine command.

Conclusion

Man-made theories, interpretations, and even scholarly opinions (fatwas) may lose relevance over time, especially if they conflict with divine revelation. The Qur’an and Sunnah remain the ultimate and unchanging sources of guidance.

In cases of disagreement between human reasoning and divine instruction, there should be no ambiguity: the message of Allah (SWT) and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ take precedence. It is our responsibility to ensure that this message is understood and implemented, so that we have no excuse before our Creator.