Do Sharia rulings evolve and change with the change of time and place, and is what happened with Imam Al-Shafi'i upon his arrival in Egypt and its impact on his madhhab considered evidence of the relativity of rulings?
The fundamental principle concerning legal rulings in Islamic law is their constancy and immutability regardless of changes in time and place, for they encompass every era and location. However, some of these rulings may differ depending on the reality to which they are applied, especially the jurisprudential rulings based on public interest (maslahah), analogical reasoning (qiyas), or custom (urf). As for the change in Imam al-Shafi'i's madhhab after his arrival in Egypt, it is not considered an influence of the local environment; rather, it represents a renewal in ijtihad (independent reasoning) and an expansion of knowledge.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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