THE METHODOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CRITIQUES OF AL-ZANJANI'S BOOK "AL-TAKHREEJ": A Critical Study

Abstract

This critical study of Imam Al-Zanjani’s book, Takhrij Al-Furu' Ala Al-Usul (Derivation of Branches from Principles), positions it as one of the earliest works devoted to the science of Takhrij. The author’s pioneering contribution, diverging from previous methods, may account for certain methodological and scholarly observations. The technical methodological observations pertain to formal and structural aspects, such as the arrangement of chapters, their coherence, and formulation. In contrast, the substantive methodological observations address fundamental issues, such as the manner of presenting scholarly disagreements and the use of certain methodological terms, which may require refinement in terms of clarity and precision. Furthermore, there are scholarly criticisms concerning some foundational issues that the author attributed to Imam Al-Shafi'i or his school. In some instances, these attributions may lack accuracy, or the author may have relied on positions that differ from the majority view of Shafi'i legal theorists.