Reviewing the Qurʼān’s Authoritative Role in Validating the Sunnah for Jurisprudential Inference

Aliakbarian, Hassanali

doi:10.22034/jrj.2025.69012.2815

Reviewing the Qurʼān’s Authoritative Role in Validating the Sunnah for Jurisprudential Inference

Document Type : Figh& Ijtihad

Author

Hassanali Aliakbarian

Department of Jurisprudence, Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy

10.22034/jrj.2025.69012.2815

Abstract

In Islamic jurisprudence, the concept of marjaʻīyyat (epistemic authority) refers to a source’s primary influence in deriving jurisprudential rulings. While multiple authoritative sources exist for deriving religious rulings—including the Qurʼān, sunnah (the Prophet’s normative practice), and ʻaql (reason)—this study investigates whether the Qurʼān possesses authority not only as an independent source but also over the sunnah itself in the process of jurisprudential inference.
This article examines the Qurʼān’s authoritative relationship with the sunnah in jurisprudential derivation, operating on the fundamental premise that neither source holds exclusive authority, and that both maintain independent interpretive and communicative functions. The analysis employs a threefold methodological framework assessing: (1) textual validity (ḥujjīyah), (2) semantic implication (dalālah), and (3) historical occasion of issuance (shaʼn al-nuzūl/al-wurūd).
Through analytical methodology, this study demonstrates that the Qurʼān exercises absolute authority over the sunnah regarding document validity. Concerning semantic implication, both texts exhibit a relationship of relative mutual authority. While either source may provide contextual clues for interpreting the other’s occasion of revelation, such auxiliary functions do not constitute primary authoritative influence, as more determinative indicators exist for this purpose.
These findings contribute to ongoing scholarly discussions about hierarchical relationships between primary Islamic legal sources, while clarifying the nuanced boundaries of Qurʼānic authority in sunnah-based jurisprudence.
Keywords: Epistemic Authority, Qurʼān, Sunnah, Islamic Jurisprudence, Textual Validity, Semantic Indication, Occasion of Revelation

Keywords

Main Subjects

Approaches of Jurisprudence and Principles of Jurisprudence

Article Title [العربیة]

دراسة مرجعیة القرآن فی تقییم السنة لاستنباط الأحکام الفقهیة

Abstract [العربیة]

إن مرجعیة مصدر معرفی فی الفقه تعنی نوعاً من التأثیر الأساسی لذلک المصدر فی الاستنباط الفقهی. استنباط الحکم الشرعی له عدّة مصادر معرفیة، أی القرآن والسنة والعقل؛ فهل القرآن، بالإضافة إلى کونه مرجعیة علمیة فی الفقه، یمثل مرجعیة على مصدر السنة أیضاً؟ موضوع هذه المقالة هو دراسة مرجعیة القرآن على السنة فی الاستنباط الفقهی.
إنّ الفرضیة الأساسیة للبحث هی أن القرآن لیس هو المرجع الحصری فی الاستنباط، وأن السنة لها أیضاً مرجعیة فی الاستنباط الفقهی. القرآن والسنة کلاهما مستقلان فی الدلالة وإیصال المعنى.
فی هذه المقالة، تمّت دراسة مرجعیة القرآن على السنة فی الاستنباط الفقهی بناءً على عملیة ثلاثیة المراحل للتمسک بالروایات، وهی: الاعتبار، والدلالة، وجهة الصدور.
بناءً على بیانات هذه المقالة، التی أُجریت بالمنهج التحلیلی، فإنّ للقرآن مرجعیة على السنة فی اعتبار السند، والتی یمکن تسمیتها بالمرجعیة المطلقة؛ لکلّ من القرآن والسنة نوع من المرجعیة على الآخر فی الدلالة، والتی یمکن أن نَعتبره المرجعیة النسبیة؛ یمکن لکلّ من القرآن والسنة أن یکون قرینة فی تشخیص جهة صدور الآخر، لکن هذه القرینیة لیست ذات تأثیر أساسی، وهناک قرائن أخرى أهمّ فی هذا الشأن. لذلک، لا یمکن تسمیة ذلک بالمرجعیة.

Keywords [العربیة]

المرجعیة العلمیة
القرآن
السنة
الفقه
الحجیة
الدلالة
جهة الصدور

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