Introducing Hadith Studies: Interpretive Principles of the Hanafi School

by Safaruk Z. Chowdhury

This book introduces the key interpretive principles that form the hadith hermeneutics of the Hanafi School. It surveys the formation and development of the School from its founder Abu Hanifa until the theorisation and consolidation of later adherents. It then explains the interpretive principles with examples of those principles applied to legal cases. The copious citation of classical Arabic texts makes this a convenient reference for those studying and researching this subject area.

Genres: Islam

232 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2015

Reviews

[Raiyaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An invaluable and essential tool for the student of Hadīth. Arguably among the best works for advanced Hadīth Literature in the English language and particularly the interpretive methods and principles of the Hanafi Madhab.

[Wayfarer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has brought together from disparate sources and summarised well the core principles of Hanafi Hadith science and as such this book holds its value. However, the author has intended this book to be an 'Introduction' and as such the book nominally covers it's aims, so one would require further reading/studies or research in order to arrive at a thorough understanding of these principles and in particular how Hanafi Hadith science started and evolved over the ages until our time today, the author quite deliberately side-steps the issue of the "historical account for the hermeneutical shifts within the Hanafi School". It is evident from the first few chapters of the book that this work is not academically rigorous enough suggesting the author complied it as opposed to researched for this book. The sections vindicating Abu Hanifa from fallacious arguments is a plus. All in all, the book is a well compiled summery and well worth reading for those interested in Hanafi Interpretive Principles.

[Arbaaz Nobeebux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deep-dived in this book to prepare for my Usool al-Fiqh class back in the fall of 2021, where we used Usul ush-Shashi. Since Usul ush-Shashi is quite limited on the Sunnah section, this book provided valuable insights and enriched the discussions significantly.