A Turn in the Epistemology and Hermeneutics of Twentieth Century U⋅ūl al-Fiqh
Abstract I argue here that an epistemological shift has taken place in twentieth century u⋅ūl al-fiqh: away from the classical/orthodox Ash'arī position in which the human mind simply discovers the divine law and extends it to new cases on the basis of consensus (ijmā') and analogical reas...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2004
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| In: |
Islamic law and society
Year: 2004, Volume: 11, Issue: 2, Pages: 233-282 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Abstract I argue here that an epistemological shift has taken place in twentieth century u⋅ūl al-fiqh: away from the classical/orthodox Ash'arī position in which the human mind simply discovers the divine law and extends it to new cases on the basis of consensus (ijmā') and analogical reasoning (qiyās); and toward a position in which reason is empowered to uncover the ratio legis behind the divine injunctions — a distinctly Mu'tazilī a pproach. This shift has been accompanied by a privileging of universal ethical principles (kulliyyāt), now identified as the aims of the Law (maqā⋅id al-sharī'a), over the specific injunctions of the texts (juz'iyyāt) — a hermeneutic strategy that has often favored public interest (ma⋅laha) as the chief criterion for developing fresh legal rulings in the light of new sociopolitical conditions. The main theoreticians discussed h ere are Muhammad'Abduh, Muhammad Rashīd Ridā,'Abd al-Razzāq Sanhūrī, 'Abd al-Wahhāb Khallāf, Muhammad Abū Zahra, and Muhammad Hashim Kamali. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5195 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Islamic law and society
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/156851904323178764 |
