Min Usul al-Fiqh ala Manhaj Ahl al-Hadith
- Author died
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- Editions
- Dār al-Kharrāz
Min Usul al-Fiqh ala Manhaj Ahl al-Hadith (From the Principles of Jurisprudence According to the Methodology of the People of Hadith) is a contemporary treatise on legal theory (usul al-fiqh) by the Pakistani scholar Zakariya bin Ghulam Qadir al-Bakistani, first published in 1423 AH / 2002 CE . The work presents the principles and foundational issues of Islamic jurisprudence from the viewpoint and methodology of the Ahl al-Hadith (traditionalist scholars) .
Purpose and Scope
The author composed the treatise to clarify the legal principles of the Ahl al-Hadith and to counter the view that they lack jurisprudence or a distinct methodology in usul al-fiqh . Drawing on prophetic traditions designating the "Victorious Group" (al-ta'ifah al-mansurah), which many classical scholars identified as the scholars of Hadith, al-Bakistani asserts that their legal reasoning is the soundest and most faithful to authentic transmission . He cites major classical works exemplifying this tradition, including the chapter headings of Sahih al-Bukhari, the legal questions (Masa'il) of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Kitab al-Umm by al-Shafi'i, Sharh al-Sunnah by al-Baghawi, and Majmu' al-Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah .
Content and Structure
The book is arranged around three primary subjects :
- Praise of the Fiqh and Usul of Ahl al-Hadith: Documenting historical evaluations and encomiums by early and late authorities affirming the virtue and soundness of their legal methodology .
- Foundations of Ahl al-Hadith Jurisprudence: Setting out the fundamental premises upon which their legal deductions and textual derivations are built .
- Usul Issues According to Ahl al-Hadith: Examining specific theoretical and hermeneutical issues of usul al-fiqh through their scholarly framework .
Sources and Method
In establishing the legitimacy and methodology of the Ahl al-Hadith, al-Bakistani incorporates statements from earlier authorities across multiple disciplines, including Abu al-Futuh al-Ta'i, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (from Sharaf Ashab al-Hadith), Ibn Qutaybah (from Ta'wil Mukhtalif al-Hadith), Ibn Hibban (from the introduction to his Sahih), Abu al-Muzaffar al-Sam'ani, Abd al-Hayy al-Laknawi (from Imam al-Kalam), and Ibn Taymiyyah .
Publication
The work was published in a single volume by Dar al-Kharraz in its first edition in 1423 AH / 2002 CE .
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