An Introduction to the Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Taqrib al-wusul ila ilm al-Usul)

Title: An Introduction to the Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Taqrib al-wusul ila ilm al-Usul)
Author: Abū al-Qāsim Muhammad ibn Juzayy al-Kalbī / Translated by Abu Layla al-Slawi
ISBN: 9781067654238
Publisher: Zaman Press (Books) (UK)

A masterful introduction to the noble discipline of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence (usūl al-fiqh), Taqrīb al-Wusūl ilā ‘Ilm al-Usūl — literally, Facilitating the Attainment of the Science of Legal Principles — distils, with remarkable clarity and precision, the foundational methods by which Muslim jurists derive the Law from its sacred sources.

At once concise and profound, and arranged with elegant order, this epistle expounds the principles of interpretation, the normative sources, and the rational foundations that structure legal reasoning within the Maliki madhhab, while also presenting the positions of the other schools of jurisprudence. It guides the reader through the subtleties of the rational sciences, the linguistic sciences, the legal rulings (ahkām shar’iyyah) and their proofs, and the disciplines of independent juristic reasoning (ijtihād) and the weighing of evidences (tarjīh).

Rooted in the rich legacy of the Andalusi Islamic tradition, it offers both a map and a method — an indispensable companion for all who seek to apprehend the inner architecture of the Sharī’ah.

Abū al-Qāsim Muhammad ibn Juzayy al-Kalbī (693–741 AH (1294–1340 CE))

An illustrious Andalusi Maliki scholar and khatīb of the Great Mosque of Gharnātah (Granada), Ibn Juzayy stood at the heart of the great affairs of his age. A devoted educator as well as a man of action, he was deeply engaged in the defence of his land, ultimately meeting his end on the battlefield of Tarīfah. He leaves behind a rich and enduring legacy across the Islamic sciences — from jurisprudence and Qur’anic exegesis, to the Arabic language, hadīth, and adab — a testament to both the breadth of his learning and the refinement of his pen.