Book: Legal Maxims of Islamic Jurisprudence (Qaidah Fiqh)

Book Title: Al-Qawâid Al-Fiqhiyyah (Legal Maxims of Islamic Jurisprudence) A Translated Compilation (القواعد الفقهية)
Author: Islamic University of North America (Mishkib) Islamic Studies English Program
Publisher: Mishkah (مشكاة)
Year of Publication: 2013 AD - 1434 AH
Field of study: methodology of Islamic Law / Jurisprudence

Table of Contents

1. Part I: A Historical Glance at Al-Qawa'id Al-Fiqhiyyah
   
   1. Definition of Al-Qa'idah
   2. Infrographic of Islamic Juriprudential Maxims
      
2. Chapter 1: The Establishment of Al-Qawa'id Al-Fiqhiyyah  and How they Developed
   1. The Foundation Stage
   2. The Recording Stage
3. The Most Significant Madhahib Books
   1. Hanafiy Madhhab
      
   2. Malikiy Madhhab
   3. Shafi'iy Madhhab
   4. Hanbaliy Madhhab
4. Chapter 2: ُThe Sources, Mission and Position of Al-Qâ’idah Al-Fiqhiyyah in issuing Fatwa
   1. Sources of Al-Qawaid al-Fiqhiyah
   2. Mission of Al-Qawaid al-Fiqhiyah
5. Part II: Al-Qawa'id Al-Fiqhiyyah (Legal Maxims of Islamic Jurisprudence) and Related Vocabulary
   1. Differences between the Legal Maxim of Islamic Jurisprudence and the Controller of Islamic Jurisprudence (Al-Qâ’idah Al-Fiqhiyyah and Ad-Dâbit Al-Fiqhiy)
      
   2. The Differences between the legal maxim of Islamic law and the legal maxim, which belongs to methodology in Islamic jurisprudence (Al-Qâ‘idahُ Al-Fiqhiyyah and Al-Qâ‘idah Al-Usuliyyah)
      
   3. Definition of the similar matters and the counterparts  (Al-Ashbâh Wan-Nazâ’ir)
   4. Realizing separate matters between two similar questions (Al-Furûqُ Al-Fiqhiyyah)
6. Part III: Normative Legal Maxims (Al-Qawâ’id Al-Kulliyyah Al-Kubrâ)
   1. The First Qâ'idah Kulliyyah Kubrâ:Acts are judged by the intention behind them  (Al-Umur bi maqâsidihâ)
   2. The Second Qâidah Kulliyyah Kubrâ:  Certainty is not overruled by doubt (Al-yaqîn lâ yazûl be ash-shakk)
   3. The Third Qâidah Kulliyyah Kubrâ: Hardship Begets Ease (Al-mashaqqah tajleb at-tiysîr)
   4. The Fourth Qâidah Kulliyyah Kubrâ: There is to be no harm, and no reciprocating harm, or harm must be eliminated (Lâ darar wa lâ dirâr) or (Ad-darar yuzal)
   5. The Fifth Qâidah Kulliyyah Kubrâ:  Custom is the basis of judgement (Al-âdah muhakkamah)
7. Index: Alphabetical List of Al-Qawâid Al-Fiqhiyyah (Legal Maxims) in Islamic Jurisprudence
8. Appendix I. Glossary
9. Appendix II. Sources Consulted
10. Download the Book
    
11. Back to: English Islamic Books
    

Part 1: A Historical Glance at Al-Qawa'id Al-Fiqhiyyah The Most Significant Madhahib Books Sources, mission and positions of Al-Qawa'id Al­ Fiqhiyyah (لمحة تاريخية عن القواعد الفقهية وأهم كتب المذاهب المتعلقة بها مصادر القواعد الفقهية ومكانتها

Definition of Al-Qa'idah

A1-Qa'idah (القاعدة) literally means a concrete or abstract maxim or base;

Is the ruling of Al-Qa'id ah Al- Fiqhiyyah all-inclusive (كلي) or preponderant (غالب)?

In Ar-Rokki's words: "Al-Qa'idah Al-Fiqhiyyah is an all-inclusive rule based on legal evidence written accurately in comprehensive words, and it includes all or most particles,  juz'iyat (جزئيات. cases pertaining to Fiqh) which come under it."1

The first group of scholars:
Al-Qa'id ah is an all-inclusive rule (or Hukm  حكم, which is a verdict pertaining to Fiqh)) which includes all the related jurisprude nce (fiqh) branches (or Furu). Examples of these scholars are: Imams As-Sa'd At-Taftaza niy2, Abu Al­ Baqa'3 and Al-Maqqariy.4

The second group of scholars:
Al-Qa'id ah is a preponderant rule which includes most of the related jurisprudence  (fiqh) bra nches (or Furu'.

Examples of these scholars are: Imam As-Subkkiys and Imam Al-Hamawiy.6

Imam Ash-Shatibiy supported a reconciliation betwee n the two definitions, where If there were a pa rticle ju risprudence matter (or ]uz'iyyah) that were an exceptio n to a maxim (or a Qa'idah), that that would not cancel the comprehensive ness and the inclusio n of such a Qa'idah; for that particle (or
]uz'iyyah ) could be a bra nch of another Qa'idah.7

Legal maxims, or Al-Qawa'id Al-Fiqhiyyah are different in scholars agreement on them, and in the level of their inclusiveness .

Legal maxims, or Al-Qawa'id Al-Fiqhiyyah can be divided into four types:

1. Al-Qawa'id Al-Kulliyyah Al-Kubra (القواعد الكلية الكبري, Normative Legal Maxims)

-    Agreeable to all scholars and all Madhahib.

-    Have the highest degree of inclusiveness (of related branches of Fiqh).

Example:

المشقة تجلب التيسير

"(Al-mashaqah tajleb at-taiysir ): Hardship begets ease."

2. Al-Qawa'id Al-Juz'iyyah Al-Kubra (القواعد الجزئية الكبري, Partial Normative Legal Maxims)

- Agreeable to all scholars and all Madhahib.

- Have the highest degree of inclusiveness (of related branches of Fiqh).

- Fall under one of the Normative legal Maxims or Al- Qawa'id Kulliyyah Kubra,

Example:

الضرورات تبيح المحظورات

"(Ad-darurat tubih al-mahzurat) Necessities permit the prohibited"

Falls under the Qa'idah

المشقة تجلب التيسير

" (Al-mashaqah tajleb at-taiysir) Hardship begets ease. "

3. Al-Qawa'id Al-Kulliyyah Ghair Al-Kubra (القواعد الكلية غير الكبري, Non­ Normative Legal Maxims)

- Agreeable to most scholars and Madhahib.

- Have a high degree of inclusiveness (of related branches of Fiqh).

Example:

التصرف على الرعية منوط بالمصلحة

"(At-tasarruf 'ala ar-ra'iyyah manut be al-maslahah) Rulers' decisions must be in favor of the people. "


4. Ad-Dawabit Al-Fiqhiyyah (called Ad-Dawabit الضوابط controllers): the plural of ADDabit (الضابط controller)) or Thejurisprudential Controllers

- Difference in opinions about them by scholars.

- Mostly related to specific Madhahab or school of thought.

- Have a low degree of inclusiveness (of related branches of Fiqh).

Example:

كل كفارة سببها معصية؛ فهي على الفور

(Kull kaffarah sababuha ma'siyyah fahiya 'ala al-fawr): Every Kaffarahs by disobedience is supposed to be fulfilled immediately."9

Footnote

1  Dr. Muhammad  Ar-Rokki,  Nazariyyat-ut-Tag 'id Al-Fighiy   wa  Atharuha  fi Ikhtilaf   Al-Fugaha',  p. 48.  Morocco, Casablanca :An-Najah Al-Jadidah Press,  1st. ed., 1414/1994.

2   Sa'd-ud-Din, Mas'ud  Ibn  'Umar Ibn  'Abdullah  a  great  scholar  of Arabic  sciences,  (d.791A.H./approx.1389AD). See  Al-A'lam  by  Khair-ud-Din  Az-Zarkkali,   Vol.  7,  p.  219.  Beirut,  Lebanon:  Dar  Al-'Ilm  lel-Malayin  Press. Volume  5, 5th. ed., 1411/1991.

3  Ayylib Ibn Musa Al-Huseiny  Al-Kafawi Al-Hanafiy among the magistrates of Al-Ahanaf  (d.1094/1683).  See Al­ A 'lam by Az-Zarkkali  Vol. 2, p. 38.

4 AbU 'Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Abu Bakr Al-Qurashiy At-Tilmisani a great scholar of Malikkiyyah  (d.758/1357).  See Al-A'lam  by Az-Zarkkali,  Vol. 7, p. 37.

5  'Abdul-Wahhiib Ibn 'All Ibn 'Abdul-Kafi Abu Nasr among the greatest magistrates,  historians and researchers of his time born in Cairo (d.771/1370).  See Al-A'lam by Az-Zarkkall,  Vol. 4, p.  148.

6  Ahmad  Ibn Muhammad  Mekk.i Abu  Al- 'Abbas  Shihiib-du-Din  AL-Huseiniy  one of the  scholars of Hanafiyyah (d.1098/1687).  See Al-A'liim by Az-Zarkkall,  Vol.  1, p. 239.

7  Dr. Muhammad  Sedkkl Ibn Ahmad  Ibn Muhammad  Al-Bornii,  Al-Wa jiz  fi Id ah  Qawa'id  Al-Figh  Al-Kulliyyah, pp.16-21. Beirut, Lebanon: Ar-Risalah Foundation Press,  1416/1996.

 
8 Certain punishment upon the people who committed sins.  Some kinds of Kaffarah are: Fasting, feeding the poor and freeing a slave.

9  Al-Bornii, Al-Wajiz, pp. 26-28.

Infrographic of Islamic Juriprudential Maxims

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