Al-Būṭī vs. Al-Qaraḍāwī: A Comparative Study of Thought on Al-Khurūj 'Alā Al-Ḥukkām

Abstrak

This study examines the polemic of al-khurÅ«j ”˜alā al-ḥukkām (rebellion against rulers) as debated by YÅ«suf al-QaraḍāwÄ« and Muḥammad Sa”˜Ä«d Ramaḍān al-BÅ«á¹­Ä«, particularly in the context of the Syria crisis and the Arab Spring. The theoretical framework employed is maqāṣid al-sharÄ«Ê¿ah, encompassing the hierarchy of maá¹£laḥah based on ḍarÅ«riyyāt, ḥājiyyāt, and taḥsÄ«niyyāt; the preservation of the kulliyyāt al-khams (religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property); the balancing of conflicting mafsadah; the application of sadd al-dharāʾiÊ¿ (blocking the means to harm); and the consideration of maʾālāt (future consequences). Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative textual analysis of fatwa, jurisprudential writings, and theological arguments by scholars, situating their views within the broader maqāṣid framework. Within this framework, al-QaraḍāwÄ« justifies rebellion against unjust rulers as both a moral duty and a religious obligation to uphold justice, framing it within the maqāṣid imperative of resisting tyranny. Conversely, al-BÅ«á¹­Ä« employs the same maqāṣid tools to prohibit rebellion, prioritising the avoidance of bloodshed and societal collapse over immediate political reform. The findings reveal that although both scholars engage maqāṣid al-sharÄ«Ê¿ah, their divergent prioritisation leads al-QaraḍāwÄ« to emphasise justice and activism as central to preserving Islam’s dignity. At the same time, al-BÅ«á¹­Ä« underscores stability and unity as essential safeguards against greater chaos.