Yahya bin Musa al-Rahuni
- Died
- 773 AH
- Born in
- -
Yahya bin Musa al-Rahuni (d. 774 AH / 1372 CE) was a Maliki jurist, legal theorist, and scholar who taught in Cairo, best known for his commentary on Ibn al-Hajib's handbook of legal theory .
Background and education
His full name was Abu Zakariyya Yahya ibn Musa ibn Umar al-Rahuni, and he was also addressed by the honorifics Muhyi al-Din and Sharaf al-Din . He studied Maliki jurisprudence under Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Idris al-Baja'i and legal theory (usul al-fiqh) under Abu Abd Allah al-Ayli .
Career in Cairo
Al-Rahuni moved to Cairo and took up permanent residence there, where he achieved high scholarly standing among both the elite and the general public . He was appointed to teach at al-Madrasa al-Mansuriyya and held the professorship for Maliki students at al-Khanqah al-Shaykhuniyya . During his lifetime, he performed the pilgrimage to Mecca twice .
Scholarly standing
Biographers characterized al-Rahuni as an accomplished jurist, logician, theologian, and man of letters, noted for his sharp intellect, legal derivation, and eloquence . He was described as dignified, humble, and generous, maintaining personal wealth while prioritizing spiritual devotion .
In legal theory, he distinguished himself through his extensive commentary on Ibn al-Hajib's Mukhtasar, titled Tuhfat al-Mas'ul, in which he closely examined the foundations and arguments of the text . In positive law, he began an uncompleted gloss (taqyid) on al-Tahdhib, wherein he reviewed the doctrines of the four Sunni schools of law and argued in favor of the Maliki positions .
Death
Al-Rahuni died in Cairo on 3 Shawwal 774 AH (c. 1373 CE) according to predominant historical records, though some chroniclers placed his death on 3 Shawwal 773 AH, on 3 Dhu al-Qi'da, or in 775 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
Tuhfat al-Masul fi Sharh Mukhtasar Muntaha al-Sul is a work on Islamic legal theory (usul al-fiqh). It is a commentary on Mukhtasar Muntaha al-Sul wa-al-Amal fi Ilmay al-Usul wa-al-Jadal (commonly known as Mukhtasar Ibn al-Hajib), a foundational treatise on legal theory and dialectic by Ibn al-Hajib. The commentary clarifies the principles of legal theory according to the Maliki school, elucidates the original text's aims, resolves ambiguities, and examines its core arguments.