Shi'ism Revisited: Ijtihad and Reformation in Contemporary Times

Contemporary Muslims face a challenge: how should they define the relationship between normative Islamic jurisprudence—worked out by classical jurists over the course of centuries-and the reality that confronts them in their everyday lives. They have to reckon with how religion can regulate and serve the needs of a changing community. Is there a need for reformation in Islam? If so, where should it begin and how should it proceed? So far, these challenging questions have received little att...