mujtihad

/mʊdʒtɪˈhɑd/
noun
  1. In Islam, a scholar who is qualified to make independent legal decisions based on interpretation of religious texts.
    • The community sought the advice of a mujtihad on a complex legal matter.
    • The mujtihad spent years studying Islamic law before issuing a ruling.
    • Many Muslims respect a mujtihad for their deep knowledge of the Quran and Hadith.
Synonyms
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