In this section, we will review all the terms we have come across so far. How many can you remember? Test yourself by covering the definitions on the right hand side.
| TERMS | MEANING/EXPLANATION |
| Generation of Sam’i | Generation of “listeners”, eyewitnesses, Companions |
| Generation of Jam’i | Generation of “gatherers”, collectors (of hadith), Successors of the Companions |
| Tabi’un | Followers of the Companions of the Prophet |
| Tabi’u al-Tabi’in | Followers of the Successors of the Companions of the Prophet |
| Fiqh | Literally, deep understanding; technically, Islamic Jurisprudence |
| Usul al-Fiqh | Literally, the roots of Islamic Jurisprudence; technically, the study of the principles, proofs and methodologies through which Islamic rulings are inferred |
| Ijtihad | Juristic reasoning, to deduce rulings that are not explicitly stated in the Qur’an and Sunnah |
| Mujtahid | A distinguished jurist; one who is qualified to engage in ijtihad |
| Madhhab | A school of juristic thought. School of legal theory or law |
| Fatwa | A religious answer, verdict or ruling given by a mujtahid or a mufti |
| Faqih | A specialist in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) |
| Mufti | A scholar authorised to give specific religious answers or verdicts (fatwas) for the people of a geographical area |
| Bid’ah | Innovations, usually blameworthy innovations in religion, or heresy |
| Ahkam al-Shar‘iyyah | Value-judgments or rulings of the Shari’ah |
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- List the 3 main historical phases in the evolution of Usul al-Fiqh and their main topics and contributions to the field.
- Which came first, Fiqh or Usul al-Fiqh, and why?
- Would it be correct to describe Imam Shafi’i as the founder of Usul al-Fiqh?
- List the 4 major Sunni Imams in their chronological order.
