This article introduces and critically examines *Jurisprudence, the People, and Governance* by Dr. Mansour Mirahmadi, which explores the relationship between Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and governance, with particular attention to the people’s role in political authority. The author emphasizes two epistemological imperatives: moving toward “comprehensive jurisprudence” (maximalist fiqh) and advancing fiqh from a “discipline of legal rulings” to a “theoretical discipline” capable of generating comprehensive political and institutional frameworks. On this basis, the book reassesses the conceptual and institutional capacities of Islamic jurisprudence to formulate a model of “people-centered governance.” The proposed model rests on four principal pillars. First, the people confer political authority and legitimacy on rulers through the concepts of istikhlāf (vicegerency), amānah (trust), and bayʿah (allegiance). Second, public participation in legislative and executive affairs is realized through the principles of taʿāwun (cooperation) and shūrā (consultation). Third, public oversight of non-infallible rulers and their accountability to the people are grounded in the principle of enjoining good and forbidding evil and in safeguarding the public interest (maṣlaḥah ʿāmmah). Fourth, institutional change and the rotation of political power are pursued through legal mechanisms for grievance redress, accountability, and the reclamation of authority by the people. The book argues that Islamic jurisprudence possesses substantial normative foundations and institutional capacities for developing a participatory, people-centered system of governance. From this perspective, the relationship between fiqh and governance extends beyond the formulation of individual legal rulings: jurisprudence can also provide theoretical foundations and institutional principles for political participation, public accountability, limits on political authority, and the peaceful transfer of power.
Mirahmadi, M. (2026). Book Introduction: Jurisprudence, the People, and Governance. Islamic Governance Studies, 2(2), 388-381. doi: 10.22081/jislamicgo.2026.76024.1094
MLA
Mirahmadi, M. . "Book Introduction: Jurisprudence, the People, and Governance", Islamic Governance Studies, 2, 2, 2026, 388-381. doi: 10.22081/jislamicgo.2026.76024.1094
HARVARD
Mirahmadi, M. (2026). 'Book Introduction: Jurisprudence, the People, and Governance', Islamic Governance Studies, 2(2), pp. 388-381. doi: 10.22081/jislamicgo.2026.76024.1094
CHICAGO
M. Mirahmadi, "Book Introduction: Jurisprudence, the People, and Governance," Islamic Governance Studies, 2 2 (2026): 388-381, doi: 10.22081/jislamicgo.2026.76024.1094
VANCOUVER
Mirahmadi, M. Book Introduction: Jurisprudence, the People, and Governance. Islamic Governance Studies, 2026; 2(2): 388-381. doi: 10.22081/jislamicgo.2026.76024.1094
