IJTIHAD
ijtihad
(noun) the endeavor of a Moslem scholar to derive a rule of divine law from the Koran and Hadith without relying on the views of other scholars; by the end of the 10th century theologians decided that debate on such matters would be closed and Muslim theology and law were frozen; “some reform-minded Islamic scholars believe that reopening ijtihad is a prerequisite for the survival of Islam”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
ijtihad (countable and uncountable, plural ijtihads)
(Islam) The process of Muslim jurists making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the Qur'an and the Sunna.
Source: Wiktionary