The Essence of Shariah Enforcement and Its Necessity for Human Prosperity: An Analysis of Sayyid Abu ‘Alᾱ Mawdūdī

Abstract

This paper aims at analysing the necessity and inevitability of Islamic governance based on Shariah enforcement for the prosperity and wellbeing of mankind. So, the concept of Shariah enforcement, its essential principles, and the current situations of the people regarding the application of Shariah are addressed based on the perspectives of Sayyid Abu ‘Alᾱ Mawdūdī. The major objective of the paper is to demonstrate the value of Islamic law and its capability to solve human problems. It also aims to illustrate the essence of Shariah enforcement and its significance in providing for human needs. Since the paper is theoretical in nature, it is purely based on library research by adopting the qualitative method. The inductive approach is used to explore al-Mawdūdī’s arguments and discourse about the topic, meanwhile, the analytical approach is employed for the explanation of the arguments. The study reveals that the concept of Shariah enforcement is beyond the narrow perception that limits it to the mere enactment and enforcement of the Islamic penal code, but it also entails the total adherence to the rules of Allah in the entire political, social, and economic systems.