What is the ruling on the principle: "It is neither disliked nor forbidden to abandon a clear religious ruling, or to not act upon it due to changing times and the state of society, if there is a public interest that necessitates such action?"

Scholars have not heard of a rule stating, "Rulings change with the change of times, places, and circumstances," in this exact wording. It is obligatory upon a Muslim to obey the command of Allah and His Messenger, for divine legislations are ثابتة (fixed) because they emanated from the All-Knowing, the All-Aware. As for matters of transactions that are based on custom, they can change with the change of time, place, and circumstances, such as zakat (definition) al-fitr, and the حد (prescribed punishment) for theft during times of war. This depends on the sagacity of the mufti (definition) and his observation of the circumstances.