“Principles of Traditionist Jurisprudence Reconsidered,” The Muslim World, 100.1 (2010): 145-56. (original) (raw)

Shiʿi Jurisprudence, Sunnism, and the Traditionist Thought (Akhbārī) of Muhammad Amin Astarabadi (D. 1626–27)

International Journal of Middle East Studies, 2015

In the early 17th century, the Shiʿi juristic tradition experienced the first coherent refutation of uṣūliyya, the ijtihādī rationalism used by the mujtahids, at the hands of Mulla Muhammad Amin Astarabadi (d. 1626–27). The latter rejected the efforts of leading Iraqi and Syrian jurists to apply ijtihād (rational legal inference), hadith categorization, and dirāya (scrutiny and stratification of accounts) in deriving Shiʿi law. The main studies on Astarabadi's akhbārī (traditionist) movement treat it as a reaction to the “influence” of Sunnism on the mujtahids or to their excessive “borrowings” from it, and stress the traditionists’ abhorrence of assimilating any aspect of Sunnism. Underlining the shortcomings of these explanations, this article presents Astarabadi's thought as a discursive development within the Shiʿi juristic tradition, which is part of the grand Islamic tradition. Astarabadi became skeptical of the mujtahids’ epistemology and methodology and was concerned...

The development of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and reasons for juristic disagreements among schools of law

2009

All praise is due to Allah who in His mercy has endowed me with the ability to complete this work on Islamic Jurisprudence. The Prophet Muħammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, "He who does not thank man has not thanked Allah." With these words in mind I am grateful to the following people. • I thank my supervisor Professor Yousuf Dadoo for his support and guidance. • I thank the immediate members of my family, my wife and parents for their support. • I am grateful to my teachers and colleagues. May Allah reward you greatly. Shoayb Ahmed 14 1.5. Validity of Ijtihād 15 Notes to Chapter One 17 Chapter Two The First Stage in the Development of Fiqh-The Period of the Prophet Muħammad (Developmental and Foundational Phase) 18 2.1. The first source, the Qur'ān 18 2.2. The second source, the Sunnah 19 2.3. Al-Ijmā‛ 23 2.4. Qiyās 23 A historical account of some of the rules that occurred before and after Hijrah Some Muftīs in the Prophets time. 31 Notes to Chapter Two 34 Chapter Three The Second Stage in the Development of Islamic Jurisprudence (From the death of the Prophet until the end of the second century) 37 3.1. Islamic Jurisprudence during the period of the rightly guided Khalīfs 38 3.1.1 Other jurists during the period of the Khalīfs. 40 3.1.2 Salient features of Islamic Jurisprudence at the time of the Khalīfs 41 3.2. The period of the senior and junior contemporaries of the Prophet's companions. 42 Some renowned Muftīs from among the companions in this period. 44 3.3. Were the companions all Mujtahid's? 45 3.3.1 Famous jurisconsults among the Tābi‛īn. 46 3.4. The classification of the jurists in two groups namely the Iraqis and the Ħijāzis. 48 6 3.5. The second century after Hijrah. 52 3.5.1 Some famous scholars (Mujtahids) in this era. 55 3.5.2 Other established judges and muftīs. 62 3.5.3 Some of Imām Abū Ħanīfah's students. 63 3.5.4 Some of Imām Mālik's students. 64 Notes to Chapetr Three 66

The Origins of Islamic Legal Theory: The Traditionalist and Western Perspectives

Islamic law is both immensely important to those living in the modern Middle East and consistently misunderstood by those living outside of it. The way that individual Middle Eastern nations interpret and apply Islamic law directly impacts the lives of their citizens, but for years the origins of Islam (and Islamic law) closely mirrored the narrative presented in the Qur’an. While it is odd that the origins of Islamic law escaped scrutiny for years, the current state of scholarship is one of tension and excitement. Western scholars (primarily from Germany) have applied rigorous historical methodology to ancient sources and have challenged the traditional narrative. Traditionalist scholars (primarily from the Middle East) have noted that Western attempts to define the Middle East often mirror the pattern laid out by Edward Said’s Orientalism, and counter with Arabic sources ignored by the West. The end result is a tense academic standoff, as Western scholars attempt to duck charges of Imperialism and repeatedly point to the intriguing questions brought up by their sources, while Traditionalist scholars give ground on some pieces of the Qur’anic narrative but not others. This paper breaks down the research and arguments of key scholars from each group. Wael Hallaq’s work represents the most nuanced of the Traditionalist school, and his research is placed alongside the combined work of Joseph Schacht, Patricia Crone, and Benjamin Jokisch. It is important to note that these two schools should not be viewed as oppositional, despite the natural inclination to do so. This paper will show that they are, in effect, arguing with very specific goals in mind. The Traditionalist approach demands that Middle Eastern scholars be allowed to participate in the creation of their own historical narrative, and rightfully bristle at Western attempts to place Islam in a larger context, as this contextualization often places Islamic culture in a position subservient to the West. The Western approach attempts to bring new sources into the discussion of Islamic legal origins and, if it is done correctly, carefully separates this research from the historia sacra of Islamic tradition.

Codicology and the Transformation of Islamic Law: A First Assessment of the Tarjīḥāt al-bayyināt in the Princeton Garrett Collection

Journal of Islamic Manuscripts, 2024

In Islamic law, preponderance (tarjīḥ)-a practical method for mujtahids to resolve legal contradictions (taʿāruḍ) between proofs-has been known in the uṣūl tradition from at least the 10th-century jurist al-Jaṣṣāṣ (d. 370/981). Yet, it is in several 17th and 18th-century Arabic and Ottoman manuscripts of Princeton's Garrett Collection that we encounter summary-like lists labelled "tarjīḥāt al-bayyināt" ("tb s"), which succinctly compile the complex rules of preponderance. Organized into three-columned lists, on loose leaves, as annotations in the margin or separate textual units, the tb s follow a grammatical and visual layout that made them predictable and recognizable for manuscript readers. This paper examines the tb s as a codicological phenomenon, arguing that they served as a shorthand for legal practitioners familiar with evidentiary law and that their presence suggests a broader transformative process of readers'/legal practitioners' relationship with codices of positive law at this critical moment in the history of Islamic law.

The Four Eponyms of Sunni Islamic Jurisprudence: An Examination of the Historical Development of the Dominant Madhȃhib and the Polemic of Ijtihȃd versus Taqlȋd

The framing of Islamic law in the first four centuries of Islam is of great significance to scholars. During this period, the Islamic diaspora was in the earliest part of its development, establishing its identity and developing the foundations of its knowledge principles. These times were tumultuous; yet, at the same time, what occurred during these early centuries formed the bedrock upon which a further millennium of growth has taken place in this global religion. Many forces were interplaying during these early years in the context of Islamic law. "Independents," who formed a majority of Islamic theorists, gradually disappeared and gave way to "Muqallidȋn" and there was discourse and allegiance amongst "Rationalists" and "Traditionalists." There was a shift away from early regional schools (of thought) to personal schools and tremendous debate raged about Ijtihȃd and Taqlȋd. In more recent times, over the past century, orientalist commentators on the period, who have painted a picture of these early centuries of the Islamic legal system and jurisprudence as being somewhat cut and dry, have begun to be challenged. Schacht for example, who wrote in the early to mid-twentieth century, later had his views nuanced by scholars such as Hallaq and others. This paper thus examines the early formation of the four schools of Islamic law, recounts brief biographical accounts of their founders, and discusses the challenges faced during those early years of Islamic legal history, which are a source of disagreement among contemporary scholars.

International Journal of Islamic and Civilizational Studies Al-Qāḍī Abū Ya'lā: Thoughts and Influence on the Development of Legal Theory of Islamic Civilization and Sciences of Jurisprudence

Al-Qāḍī Abū Ya'lā ibn al-Farrā' (380-458 A.H / 990-1065 C.E) is regarded as the most prominent Hanbali scholar and one of the early Muslim jurists who played dynamic roles in formulating a systematic legal framework and constitutional theory on Islamic system of government during the first half of the 5th/11th Century in Baghdad, and which are still found to be relevant in the modern day constitutional legal theories. Attempt would, therefore, be made in this paper to examine the contributions of this Leading Legal Luminary to the Legal theory of Islamic civilization and sciences of jurisprudence of the Ḥanbali Madhhab (Hanbali School of Law). Other areas of relevance critically examined in this paper are his education and legal background, contemporary pursuits of intellectuals and prominent fuqahā' (jurists) of his time, as well as a detailed account of his notable students, works and influence in the development of the Ḥanbali Madhhab

Creativity in Continuity: Legal Treatises (Al-Rasāʾil Al-Fiqhiyya) in Islamic Law

Journal of Islamic Studies, 2023

This article explores how legal treatises (rasāʾil) were essential sites for the development and expansion of Islamic legal schools' (madhā hib) positions. The rasāʾil, along with legal dicta (fatāwā)-besides legal commentaries (shurūḥ) and manuals (mutūn)-were among the prime loci where jurists contended with rapid social, political, and economic changes. Although these legal treatises were written to address specific sociolegal issues, I argue that the treatise-as a separate genre-provided a creative space for jurists to reaffirm, restate, or advance a new opinion in the school. These legal treatises were carefully considered and extensively referenced in the authoritative works of the school for their updated legal positions, practical utility for judges in courts, and relevance for official policy purposes. To demonstrate this dynamic, I present a close reading of two legal treatises by Maḥmūd Efendī al-Ḥamzāwī (d. 1887), a key Ḥanafī authority and judge, and the muftī of Damascus (1867-1887). The first covers the issue of criminal law procedures in Islamic/Ottoman courts and the second addresses the topic of hunting with rifles. Both treatises expanded the legal positions of the Ḥanafı ̄ school by incorporating new justifications, qualifications, and information. They offer an essential perspective on the status of this genre of legal writing through an exposition of a range of emerging issues in the late nineteenth century.

Bridging the Gap: Two Early Texts of Islamic Legal Theory

This article presents two short but complete treatises on legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh). The first was written by Ibn Surayj (d. 306/918) as an addendum to his compendium on Shāfiʿī law, al-Wadāʾiʿ, and the second by Abū Bakr al-Khaffāf (fl. early fourth/tenth century), who included it as an introduction to his legal text al-Aqsām wa-l-khiṣāl. An analysis of these texts reveals the existence of a self-conscious legal-theoretical discourse around the turn of the fourth/tenth century that connects al-Shāfiʿī's (d. 204/820) Risāla with the so-called mature uṣūl tradition known from the late fourth/tenth century onward. The analysis also sheds considerable light on developments in legal theory in this period, such as the emergence of the term ʿilla (cause), the parallel rise of legal dialectics (jadal), the consequences of adopting the idea of waḍʿ (linguistic coinage), and generally the inclusion of theological concerns in legal theory.

The Classical Period: Scripture, Origins, and Early Development (Oxford Handbook of Islamic Law)

Oxford Handbook of Islamic Law, 2015

This chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Islamic Law first revisits the debates regarding the role of the Qur’an and Hadith, respectively, in the formulation of Islamic law. It then reviews scholarship on the phases of Islamic law’s development (7th-11th centuries), beginning with the emergence of geographically defined legal traditions and culminating in the formation of the legal schools and their distinctive theoretical principles and substantive doctrines. It concludes by suggesting directions for future research.