Maslaha (public interest)
Benefit or public interest, considered in reaching rulings where the texts are silent, within the principles of Shariah.
Maslaha means benefit or public interest, and maslaha mursalah refers to an interest that the texts neither confirm nor reject explicitly. AAOIFI's standard on fatwa allows a jurist, after the texts, consensus and analogy, to consider public interest and juristic preference as a basis for a fatwa, and its partnership standard accepts public interest as a basis for modern administrative and accounting procedures. Bank Negara Malaysia's Shariah contract framework links attaining benefit and preventing harm to the objectives of Shariah.
Sources
This entry explains a term; it is not a Shariah ruling. Approving a product is for each institution's own Shariah board and regulator.