Ahkam al-Quran li-Ibn al-Arabi
- Author died
- 543 AH
- Editions
- t al-Ilmiyya
Ahkam al-Quran (Rulings of the Quran) is a work of legal exegesis by the Andalusian Maliki scholar and judge Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi (468–543 AH / 1076–1148 CE) .
Composition and Scope
Ibn al-Arabi dictated the book in Cordoba following his relocation there in 529 AH, commencing its dictation after completing his work al-Nasikh wa-l-mansukh (The Abrogating and Abrogated) . The work examines the suras of the Quran, restricting its commentary exclusively to verses that contain legal rulings according to the author's independent judgment and evaluation .
Structure and Method
The book follows a structured organizational format: Ibn al-Arabi introduces each sura, states the total count of legal verses contained within it, and then comments on them sequentially . For each verse, he specifies the number of legal questions (masa'il) it addresses—stating, for example, "the first verse, and in it are five [or seven] issues"—before enumerating and detailing each question individually .
In deriving legal rulings and theoretical principles (usul), Ibn al-Arabi integrates several disciplines:
- Linguistic analysis of vocabulary, rhetorical meanings, and Arabic usage .
- Quranic sciences, including occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul), Meccan and Medinan classifications, and variant readings (qira'at) .
- Comparative jurisprudence (al-fiqh al-muqaran) and contested questions among legal schools, utilizing legal weighting (tarjih) .
Ibn al-Arabi drew material from the earlier Ahkam al-Quran by the Maliki jurist Ismail al-Qadi . While he adhered predominantly to the Maliki school, articulated its authoritative views, and defended its positions, he exercised independent reasoning rather than rigid conformity (taqlid), engaging with sound textual evidence and accepting valid arguments from opposing scholars . He avoided incorporating Isra'iliyyat (Judeo-Christian traditions), rejected reliance on weak hadiths, and warned against them . His discourse alternates between scholarly impartiality and intense, sharp polemics against opposing jurists .
Reception and Editions
The work became a primary reference for legal exegesis and was widely utilized by subsequent scholars . Al-Qurtubi heavily incorporated and cited it throughout his commentary al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Quran, and it was frequently referenced in later works such as Ruh al-Ma'ani by Shihab al-Din al-Alusi, Adwa' al-Bayan by Muhammad al-Amin al-Shinqiti, and al-Tahrir wa-l-Tanwir by Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Ashur .
The book has been published in modern print editions in four volumes, including an edition edited by Ali Muhammad al-Bijawi published in Cairo in 1376 AH / 1957 CE .
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