Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

The Formalization of the Degree of Hanafi Jurisprudence's Obedience to the ʿAlawi Life and Conduct (Sīra) in the Book of Judgment and Testimony

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Muhammad Rasoul Ahangaran 1
ali keshavarz 2
Muhammad Hussain Ahangaran 3
1 Professor at the University of Tehran, Farabi College, Qom, Iran
2 PhD student of Private Law, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran
3 Master of Laws student, University of Tehran, Farabi College, Qom, Iran
10.22034/jis.2025.440964.1937
Abstract
The Commander of the Faithful Imam ʿAlī (AS), is the Imam and Divine Authority, and the gateway to the city of Prophetic knowledge. Although his status as Imam has been denied by some, his scholarly rank is agreed upon and accepted by both Shi'a and Sunni Muslims. Hanafi jurisprudence, like the other four schools of Sunni Islam, holds a special respect for Imam Ali (AS) and acknowledges his high scholarly status; therefore, in some fatwas and jurisprudential theorizing, his scholarly Sira has been followed.
In this study, focusing on the two chapters of "Judgment" (Qaḍā') and "Testimony" (Shahāda) in Hanafi jurisprudence, the extent of this school's adherence to the Sīra (i.e. life and conduct) of Imam Ali (AS) has been investigated. The selection of these two chapters as a sample for analysis can provide results that can be generalized to other jurisprudential chapters. The findings of this research show that in various issues related to these two chapters, signs of adoption (Iqtibās) or influence from the Imam's Sira are seen, which have been analyzed with multiple criteria. In addition to the fact that this topic has not been studied independently so far, the present study, relying on concepts such as the non-exclusivity of the reason for the ruling, the concealment of the wisdom of the ruling, the lack of preference in two-sided reasoning, and the necessity of following the religious leader, seeks to help strengthen a theory in line with the approximation of Islamic schools of thought. These elements, as innovative achievements of the research, have been extracted and demonstrated from jurisprudential investigations.
Keywords
Imam ʿAlī (AS)
obedience
judgment
testimony
Hanafi jurisprudence
Subjects
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Journal of Imamiyyah Studies
Volume 11, Issue 21 - Serial Number 21
September 2025
Pages 47-76