Analysis of Al-Shafi'i's Book on Islamic Jurisprudence

Al-Shafi'i

In his book Al-Risala, he answered two questions for all humanity, one question shared by all human beings.

How is the truth known?

How is the authority of the text established? How do we know that

this text is sacred,

meaning from God? Al-Shafi'i answered, saying, the Book, the Sunna, the Messenger to be followed, and solitary

reports—solitary reports are authoritative.

He marshaled texts from beginning to end to establish this principle.

So, focus with me once again on the importance of the book Al-Risala.

The second question, of course—the answer to the first question is clear to the people of Islam.

Very clear. But why did Al-Shafi'i begin and repeat it? Because there are people

of doubt.

Sects of misguidance. People of doubt. People of doubt.

Al-Shafi'i aptly called them, in his book, people of doubt, and they testified against themselves in an era of truth.

The second question: human security. But this concerns the people of Islam.

After you believe in the text, you believe in the Quran and believe in the Sunna.

You affirm solitary reports. You follow the Prophet's Sunna, peace and blessings be upon him.

These texts from the Book and the Sunna come before you as authentic, and you have believed in them.

The other question is: How is clarification achieved?

How do texts clarify? You know al-Shafi'i had a great mind. He was a scholar of jurisprudence.

A scholar of legal methodology. A scholar of language. In this book, he answered two of the most important

questions that need answers, and laid down principles and rules

for the most powerful science that organizes thought and inference, namely legal methodology.

He separated this science from the terminology of sects, factions, and people of whims, and did not include anything

that corrupts knowledge.

This is unique to al-Shafi'i because of his scholarly ability.

No Sunni scholar faults him for introducing strange terminology into this book.

The terminology existed in his time,

and the dregs of ideas existed among the sects. They had terminology and philosophies, yet he included not a single letter of them.