Methods of the Development of Ijtihad and Its Ranks Accordingto Prominent Shafi'i Imams

Abstract

This research aims to shed light on the contributions of scholars of Usul al-Fiqh from the Shafi'i school in the development of ijtihad methodologies within the madhhab, tracing the stages of this development and clarifying the ranks of mujtahids therein. The researcher employed an analytical and foundational approach to study the concept of ijtihad in terms of its conditions, classifications, and methodological principles as presented by leading figures of the school, such as Al-Juwayni, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Sabki, and others. The study also identified the methodological characteristics that shaped the evolution of this discipline, highlighting the flexibility of the juristic reasoning within the Shafi'i school in addressing contemporary changes without compromising the fixed doctrinal and ritual terms that constitute the identity of the Ummah. The research reached several conclusions, most notably: Shafi'i scholars established a comprehensive hierarchy of ijtihad ranks, reflected in the clarity of their methodology and scholarly output in this discipline; the foundational terminologies that explained their approaches to developing the science of ijtihad were emphasized; and the qualitative contributions by key Shafi'i figures enriched the science of ijtihad, starting from the founding Imam, through the Imam of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, to Al-Ghazali, Ibn Sabki, and others. Recommendations include conducting independent thematic studies of the science of ijtihad for each prominent Shafi'i scholar individually, and implementing comparative scientific analyses between the development of ijtihad in the Shafi'i school and its counterparts in other Usuli madhhabs.