Contemporary Religious Thought and Its Challenges between Stagnation and Renewal (A Doctrinal Study)

Abstract

This research addresses the issue of renewal in religious thought and its contemporary challenges between stagnation and renewal. The study clarifies key terms such as religion, religiosity, stagnation, renewal, and thought. It concludes that there is a clear distortion in concepts among the general public, leading to a deviation from the correct understanding. Renewal is divided into praiseworthy and blameworthy types. Praiseworthy renewal has conditions and guidelines, as does stagnation, where certain religious constants must not be altered. There is, however, space for ijtihad (independent reasoning) and thought within the boundaries of Islamic law, which are explained in detail, supported by evidence from the Qur'an and Prophetic Sunnah.