ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Fiqh and Fuqaha Part 1: Fiqh This system commonly known as ilm­ul­ Fiqh, is extensive, covering a very wide range; and its history dates back to the earliest Islamic era. It has been taught with great detail and ramifications in every era, producing several jurist consults of repute during every century. Among the jurists, known as faqih (pl. Fuqaha) some were genius.

A number of volumes have appeared to elucidate the Islamic jurisprudence; some of them are masterly treatment of the laws on every walk of human life. Most of the problems confronting human society are dealt with by various laws, like, the civil laws, the family laws, the penal code, the management laws, and so on. Fiqh deals with all of them under various chapters, and in different names.

Moreover, it deals with such laws which are not covered by the modern day laws, like the ones related to the acts of worship. Because of a very wide range of subjects covered by Fiqh, it actually includes numerous faculties which are normally learnt separately today. The term 'Fiqh' in the The word 'Fiqh' and its derivation 'tafaqquh' has been extensively used in the Quran and Hadith, and in almost all cases it denotes in ­depth study and profound understanding.

The Quran says: "If a group of people from every tribe stayed behind to study (and ponder on) the religion, (they would be able) to warn and admonish their people when they return to them so that they are cautious." (Al­-Tawbah. V.122) And the Prophet (s.a.w) is reported to have said: "Whoever commits forty Hadith for the sake of my Ummah shall be resurrected by Allah as a learned faqih." It is not known whether the term faqih was applied to the learned companions of the Prophet (s.a.w).

However, we certainly know that the generation which followed the companions, known as tabe'een, used this appellation for a number of scholars among them. There were for example, seven great jurists among them who are known as 'fuqaha sab'ah' i.e. the seven fuqaha. The year 94 A.H. was known as 'sanatul fuqaha' (the year of the Fuqaha) because in that year, together with our fourth Imam, Ali b. Hussain (A.S.), great jurists like Saeed b. Musayyab, Urwah b. Zubair, Saeed b.

Jubayr and others died. Thereafter, great Islamic scholars, particularly the jurists were commonly classified as Fuqaha. Our Imams (peace be upon them) have used the term Faqih quite often.