A Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah-Based Islamic Governance Framework for Sustainable Development: Reconstructing Khilāfah Rāshidah Principles within the SDG 2030 Agenda

Abstract

This article proposes a Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah governance framework by integrating the foundational principles of Islamic governance practiced during the Khilāfah Rāshidah with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 agenda. Rather than positioning the SDGs as an external development benchmark aligned with Islam, this study frames Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah as the primary epistemological and analytical lens through which sustainable development priorities are evaluated and reconstructed. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative document analysis design grounded in Islamic legal research methodology, employing inductive (istiqrā’ī) and deductive (istinbāṭī) approaches based on uṣūl al-fiqh. Primary sources include the Qur’an, authentic hadith collections, and classical works of Siyāsah Shar‘iyyah and Islamic political thought, complemented by SDG documentation and contemporary governance literature. The analysis identifies five core governance principles, namely shūrā (consultation), ‘adālah (justice), amānah (trust and accountability), iḥsān (excellence), and shaffāfiyyah (transparency), as key operational manifestations of Maqāṣid in governance practice. These principles are then mapped onto the three main pillars of sustainable development: economic sustainability, social justice, and environmental stewardship. The findings demonstrate that the governance model of the Khilāfah Rāshidah reflects a holistic development paradigm rooted in the preservation of essential Maqāṣid, including protection of life, intellect, wealth, dignity, and ecological balance. Consequently, SDG objectives may be systematically interpreted within the Maqāṣid hierarchy of ḍarūriyyāt, ḥājiyyāt, and taḥsīniyyāt, ensuring that development remains ethically grounded and spiritually oriented. This study contributes a normative Islamic governance framework that strengthens policy legitimacy in Muslim societies and highlights falāḥ as the ultimate objective of sustainable governance beyond material achievement.