Introduction to Islamic Jurisprudence and Legal Theory

Course Overview

This course will cover the main areas of Islamic jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh), and the historic, social and religious factors involved in the development of Islamic legal schools. The focus will be on the four primary sources of Islamic law, together with the supplementary sources used in the practice of ijtihad (independent legal deduction). This book is part of a series of primers which introduce students to the Islamic Sciences

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the development of usul al-fiqh
• show an understanding of the methodology of Islamic law-making
• critically discuss the primary and supplementary sources of Islamic law
• analyse the arguments and propositions used in legal rulings (fatwas)