Item 2 in Five Essentials of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa
Preservation of life
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival.
- Position
- 2
- Form
- Mixed formulation
- Obligation
- Context-dependent
- Wording status
- Translation
- Intended audience
- Jurists, scholars and communities reasoning about the purposes of Islamic law
- Last reviewed
- 28 June 2027
Names and terminology
Canonical name: Ḥifẓ al-nafs
Original term: Ḥifẓ al-nafs
Transliteration: Ḥifẓ al-nafs
Source wording
<p>Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>
Literal meaning
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival.
Broader interpretation
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival.
Historical context
This principle belongs to Five Essentials of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa and must be read within that framework's setting.
Practical meaning
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival.
Ethical purpose
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival.
Exceptions and disputes
The framework is a juristic synthesis, not a single Qur'anic list, and applications differ significantly.
Variations across schools or traditions
Some formulations add honour or dignity, while contemporary scholars debate freedom, justice, environment and rights as independent objectives.
Modern application
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival. Modern application should consider consent, evidence, proportionality, power and consequences.
Criticism and difficult cases
The framework is a juristic synthesis, not a single Qur'anic list, and applications differ significantly.
Truth By Reason analysis
Protect life, bodily security and basic conditions of survival. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.
Ethical themes
Sources
- The Higher Objectives of Islamic Law Primary source