Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
Islamic legal theory that defines the methods for deriving legal rules from the sacred sources.
Usul al-Fiqh (plural of asl) is Islamic legal theory — the science of the principles and methods used to derive practical legal rules (fiqh) from the Islamic sources. Imam al-Shafi'i is considered the founder of this discipline through his groundbreaking work "al-Risalah."
The four main sources in usul al-fiqh are: the Quran (Allah's speech), the Sunnah (the Prophet's words, actions, and tacit approvals), Ijma' (scholarly consensus), and Qiyas (analogical reasoning). Additionally, different schools recognize supplementary principles such as istihsan (juristic preference), maslahah mursalah (public interest), and 'urf (custom).
Regarding prayer legislation, usul al-fiqh is crucial for understanding why the schools of law can reach different conclusions. For example: is a particular prayer act obligatory or merely recommended? The answer depends on how one interprets the relevant Quranic text or hadith — and precisely this interpretive method is the domain of usul al-fiqh. Major works in the discipline include al-Ghazali's "al-Mustasfa" and al-Amidi's "al-Ihkam."
Related terms
Bismillah (In the Name of Allah)
The formula "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," which opens prayer and action.
Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah (The Psalms of Sajjad)
A collection of supplications from the 4th Imam, called "The Psalms of Islam."
Laylat al-Mi'raj (The Night of Ascension)
The night when Prophet Muhammad journeyed to the heavens and received the gift of prayer.
Rawatib (Regular Sunnah Prayers)
The voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and after the obligatory prayers.
Qasr (Shortened Prayer)
The permission to shorten the four-rak'ah prayers to two rak'ah during travel.
Sahih al-Bukhari (Bukhari's Authentic Collection)
The most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam al-Bukhari.