Pioneers of Islamic Scholarship by Adil Salahi

Author:Adil Salahi [Salahi, Adil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kube Publishing Ltd
Published: 2013-10-11T18:30:00+00:00

Ibn Ḥazm wrote a large number of books. His son reports that he collected of his father’s works no less than 400 volumes, in 80,000 pages. However, most of his books have been lost. But what has survived is enough to testify to his great knowledge, and to ensure that his school of Fiqh survives. His writings covered a wide variety of subjects, including some psychological studies, such as his famous book, Ṭawq al-Ḥamāmah, or Ring of the Dove, which he devotes to the study of the psychology of love. A five-volume work is devoted to explaining the beliefs and practices of all religions, sects and creeds and how they differ from the true faith. Another highly valuable book in four volumes, Al-Iḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām, is an in-depth study of Fiqh methodology, in which he explains how he differs from other scholars and schools of Fiqh.

However, his major work which explains all his views and rulings on all matters relating to religion and life affairs is Al-Muḥallā. It is published in several editions, sometimes in 9 volumes and sometimes in 12. This book is a wealth of scholarship, in which Ibn Ḥazm discusses each question separately. On each question, he cites the views of earlier scholars of high achievement, not restricting himself to the views of the four schools of Fiqh, but also citing the rulings of scholars like al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110), al-Layth ibn Sad (d. 175), Aṭā’ (d. 114), Sufyān al-Thawrī (d. 161), al-Awzāī (d. 157), etc. He also quotes the evidence they cite in support of their different views. He then states whether he agrees with the views of any of them, or disagrees with them all. He then discusses why he considers the views with which he disagrees to be incorrect, and produces the evidence in support of his own view. This makes for a highly scholarly discussion. Many scholars describe Al-Muḥallā as the encyclopaedia of Islamic Fiqh. Indeed, it has preserved many of the views of early scholars whose work was either not documented or lost. The only problem with Al-Muḥallā is that Ibn Ḥazm is often scathing in his criticism of other scholars’ views. His scathing remarks alienate many who feel that greater respect is due to such fine scholars.

Yet there is no doubt that Ibn Ḥazm is an honest defender of what he considers to be the truth. Any scholar who wants to exercise ijtihād, in order to arrive at rulings for questions encountered in present-day life cannot overlook Al-Muḥallā. Shaikh Muḥammad Abū Zahrah, one of the top scholars in the twentieth century, describes this book in these words: “It is truly and accurately the pillar of Islamic Fiqh, and it is a highly useful book. Had it not been for the usage of scathing remarks and some phrases that are evidently inappropriate and out of place, it would have been the best book ever on Sunnī Fiqh.”

The Ẓāhirī school has survived because of its direct appeal, although it has never been widespread in any particular area.

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