Ihtiyat

Ihtiyat, from the Arabic word ihtiyāṭ (احتياط), is a term used across several languages—including Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Turkish—meaning caution, precaution, or safeguard. In everyday language it denotes prudent measures taken to avoid danger or error, and it is widely used in general safety and risk contexts.

In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), ihtiyat is a technical term referring to precautionary acts intended to ensure the validity of worship and to prevent error or doubt. The practice is described in some schools as obligatory precaution (iḥtiyāṭ al-wājib) or recommended precaution (iḥtiyāṭ al-mustahabb). The precise scope and requirements of ihtiyat vary between different madhhabs (schools of law); practitioners may perform additional acts or repeat steps to dispel doubt about whether a pillar has been fulfilled or a ritual has been correctly completed.

Beyond religious usage, ihtiyat is a common term in everyday speech in Persian, Urdu, and Turkish for general caution. It also appears in safety guidance, public policy, and risk management as a translation of “precaution” or “prudence.” In Turkish, adjectives such as ihtiyatlı mean cautious, and phrases like ihtiyat tedbirleri refer to precautionary measures in official contexts.

Overall, ihtiyat embodies a shared cultural emphasis on careful thought and safeguarding against error or danger. The exact meaning and application can differ by linguistic and cultural context, especially between religious and secular domains.