A Study on Sayyid Murtada’s Methodology in Fiqh

Ali bin Husain bin Musa bin Mohammad bin Musa bin Ibrahim bin Musa bin Musa Kazim is nicknamed as Abulqasim, and is known as Sayyid (Sharif) Murtada 'Alam al-Huda. He is the outstanding Shiite theologian, traditionist, literary figure, historian, interpreter of the Qur’an, and an expert in fiqh and principles of fiqh. He lived in ۳۵۵ to ۴۳۶ (After Hijrah) and is one of the most important Shiite Scholars of the fiqh school of Baghdad in the fourth century. His numerous scientific works imply his expertise in various sciences. His various works in fiqh show that he was an expert in fiqh, as well.

This article is a brief review on his methodology in fiqh; meanwhile, some of his views and thoughts in fiqh and principles of fiqh will be introduced.

For sure, one of Sayyid Murtada’s important achievements in fiqh is his research in his contemporary fiqh, in addition to his studies in non-contemporary fiqh. Through using the legacy of the established Ijtihad in the Shiite fiqh by the former scholars in the early fourth century and by appealing to the works of the main characters of the four major denominations, Sayyid Murtada initiated a dynamic development in the Shiite fiqh and the common (comparative) fiqh. The first part of this article deals with Sayyid Murtada’s methodology in his non-contemporary fiqh, and the second part is concerned with his methodology in his contemporary fiqh. At the end, a list of some of his specific and exceptional views is provided.

Keywords: Sayyid Murtada, methodology in fiqh, contemporary fiqh, non-contemporary fiqh, specific views

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* Researcher in the Institute of the Shiite Bibliography