Usul al-Shashi

How does one navigate the seemingly vast and conflicting body of primary Islamic sources? What should a student do when encountering differing practices of the Prophet ﷺ on the very same matter? When is a particular action considered obligatory, recommended, or merely permissible? These are among the central questions addressed in uṣūl al-fiqh.

Often translated-though somewhat inadequately-as “principles of Islamic jurisprudence,” uṣūl al-fiqh is the legal theory that forms the foundation of Islamic substantive law and practical ethics.

Uṣūl al-Shāshī is a concise introductory treatise on legal theory according to the Ḥanafī school. It holds a place of prominence within the dars-i-niẓāmī curriculum taught in South Asian seminaries and in affiliated institutions across the globe, despite the relative obscurity surrounding its author.

This translation is designed to be accessible to a broad readership, especially beginners in Islamic law and readers with a keen interest in legal theory.