الاعتصام (Al-I'tisam)

Al-Shatibi's al-Itisam is perhaps an overlooked treasure. Many turn to his al-Muwafaqat, particularly its second volume on al-Maqasid, which has long been regarded as essential. Yet, his al-Itisam, while outwardly a work on aqidah and the dangers of bidah, in fact preserves profound insights into his theory of maqasid. Within its discussions, one finds practical applications of how he envisioned the safeguarding of the Shariah's objectives, not merely as abstract principles, but as living protections against deviation and excess. In this way, al-Itisam serves as both a companion and a necessary complement to al-Muwafaqat, revealing that al-Shatibi's vision of maqasid was inseparably tied to his defense of the integrity of the din.

Author: al-Imam al-Shatibi
Publisher: Dar Ibn al-Jawzi