Exploring the Mind of God.

• Superior document: Studies in Islamic Law and Society Series ; v.53
• Author: Bata, Hashim.
• Place / Publishing House: Boston : : BRILL,, 2023.; ©2023.
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in Islamic Law and Society Series
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (162 pages)

This book introduces readers to the legal epistemology that is advocated within the post-19th century Shiʿite discourse of uṣūl al-fiqh and considers the preference given by orthodox clerics towards scripturalist methods of deducing and interpreting Sharia law.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 1 Introduction to Islamic Legal Theory -- 1 The Emergence of Shiʿism and the Twelvers -- 2 Formative Period of Shiʿite Legal Theory -- 3 Medieval Period of Shite Legal Theory -- 4 Modern Period of Shiʿite Legal Theory -- 4.1 Prelude to Modern Legal Theory -- Chapter 2 The Non-authoritativeness of Conjecture -- 1 The Nature of Conjecture -- 2 Scriptural Justifications against Conjecture -- 3 Rational Justifications against Conjecture -- 3.1 Ṣadr's Critique of the Rational Justification -- 3.2 Implications of Ṣadr's Epistemology -- Chapter 3 The Authoritativeness of Certainty -- 1 Definition of Certainty -- 2 Nature of Certainty -- 2.1 Ḥaydarī's Assumption -- 3 Justifications for the Authoritativeness of Certainty -- 3.1 Existential Authoritativeness of Certainty -- 3.2 Postulated Authoritativeness of Certainty -- 3.3 Rational Authoritativeness of Certainty -- Chapter 4 The Authoritativeness of Substantiated Conjecture -- 1 The Theory of Insidād -- 1.1 The First Premise of Insidād -- 1.2 The Second Premise of Insidād -- 1.3 The Third Premise of Insidād -- 1.4 The Fourth Premise of Insidād -- 2 The Theory of Ẓann al-Khāṣṣ -- 2.1 Authoritativeness of Isolated Reports from Definitive Scriptural Evidence -- 2.2 Authoritativeness of Isolated Reports from Definitive Consensus -- 2.3 Authoritativeness of Isolated Reports from Definitive Rational Convention -- Chapter 5 Implications of Legal Epistemology on Ijtihād -- 1 The Case of Apostacy -- 2 Space for Reformation -- 3 The Future of Ijtihād and Shiʿite Orthodoxy -- Bibliography -- Index.