Item 4 in Five Essentials of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa
Preservation of lineage and family
Protect family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination.
- Position
- 4
- 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-nasl
Original term: Ḥifẓ al-nasl
Transliteration: Ḥifẓ al-nasl
Source wording
<p>Protect family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>
Literal meaning
Protect family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination.
Broader interpretation
Protect family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination.
Historical context
This principle belongs to Five Essentials of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa and must be read within that framework's setting.
Practical meaning
Protect family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination.
Ethical purpose
Protect family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination.
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 family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination. 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 family responsibilities, parentage and child welfare without unjust discrimination. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.
Ethical themes
Sources
- The Higher Objectives of Islamic Law Primary source