Les fondements droit musulman

The Foundations of Muslim Law
Original Title: Risâla Fi Usûl Al-Fiqh

Imam al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in the year 150 AH and passed away after the Maghrib prayer on the night of the last Friday of Rajab in the year 204, at the age of 54. He is recognized as the founder of the Shafi'i school of thought and is regarded as one of the eminent scholars among the ancients (Salaf). His school has produced some of the most prestigious Muslim imams, including Imam al-Nawawi, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, and Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali.

His book Al-Risâla fî Usûl al-Fiqh serves as a comprehensive summary of the foundations of Islamic jurisprudence. It is noted as the first written treatise pertaining to this field of knowledge (Usûl al-fiqh) and stands among his most esteemed works.

In Al-Risâla, Imam al-Shafi‘i addresses various topics, outlining the rules and methods of legal deduction and interpretation. He elucidates the evidence supporting his legal opinions and elaborates on the methodology employed to derive judgments from both the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Additionally, he offers explanations regarding his research on hadith and athar (traditions of the Companions) along with the methods he utilized to ensure their authenticity.

Al-Risâla was compiled by Rabî‘ ibn Sulaymân, a prominent student of Imam al-Shafi‘i, who gathered material not included in his famous work, Al-Umm.

The Foundations Outline by Imam al-Shafi‘i
Imam al-Shafi‘i succinctly summarized the fundamental principles underlying his jurisprudence and the rules he adhered to during his ijtihad, or the effort to interpret and deduce legal rulings. These foundations, which he articulated clearly in Al-Umm, later became central tenets of his legal school. In this work, he diligently presented legal judgments alongside evidence derived from the Qur'an or the Sunnah, while clarifying the mechanism connecting judgments to proposed arguments, as well as the rules of ijtihad and foundational principles he utilized.

The methodology of Imam al-Shafi‘i broadly consisted of drawing evidence from the Noble Qur'an and purified Sunnah, adhering to their apparent meanings unless a distinct argument indicated a different interpretation. Furthermore, Imam al-Shafi‘i accepted traditions reported by a single narrator (hadith al-ahad), provided that the narrator was trustworthy, known for integrity, truthfulness, precision, and strong memory.