The Emergence and Development of the Science of Usul al-Fiqh (A study of the stages of jurisprudence and its schools in the first four centuries AH)

Abstract

This research aims to provide a scientific foundation for the discipline of *Usul al-Fiqh* (Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence) by referring to the two primary sources of Islamic law: the Book of Allah (the Qur’an) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). The study adopts an inductive and descriptive methodology, analyzing the evidence to achieve its objectives.

The research is divided into two main sections. The first discusses the origins of *Usul al-Fiqh*, which began with the divine legislation of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and continued through the eras of the Companions and the Successors. The second section explores the development of *Usul al-Fiqh* and the stages it underwent, highlighting the contributions of various jurisprudential schools that played a role in its evolution from the second to the fourth Islamic centuries. The study also examines the expansion and flourishing of *Usul al-Fiqh*, reaching its peak across different jurisprudential schools during these centuries.

The research concludes with key findings, the most important of which are:

- The primary factors influencing the emergence and development of *Usul al-Fiqh* were the need for foundational principles that serve as tools enabling jurists to understand textual evidence and derive legal rulings with ease.

- The efforts and contributions of scholars during the first four Islamic centuries were pivotal in advancing this discipline.

- The foundational principles derived from the Qur’an and the purified Sunnah formed the core of *Usul al-Fiqh* and laid the groundwork for its development