Examining the Relationship Between Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Uṣūl al-Fiqh) and Their Role in Qur’anic Sciences

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research (Normal Review)

Authors

Department of Islamic Studies, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/jrj.2026.73887.3115

Abstract

A methodologically sound and reliable understanding of the Holy Qur'an is not attainable without recourse to the semantic, epistemological, and evidentiary principles of Uṣūl al-Fiqh (Islamic legal theory). Accordingly, examining the relationship between these two disciplines constitutes a methodological necessity in Qur'anic studies. This study seeks to answer the question of which areas of Qur'anic studies depend upon the principles of Uṣūl al-Fiqh and how this discipline provides the epistemological, methodological, and semantic foundations for understanding the Qur'an. Employing a descriptive–analytical approach and an inductive method, the research is based on the content analysis of classical and contemporary sources in Qur'anic studies and Uṣūl al-Fiqh. The findings indicate that the principles governing Qur'anic interpretation can be classified into six major categories: linguistic and semantic principles, legal proofs and epistemic authorities (ḥujaj and amārāt), rules governing the reconciliation and preference of evidences, practical legal principles (uṣūl al-ʿamaliyyah), biographical and isnād criticism, and principles rooted in rational practice. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that differences among uṣūlī scholars, Akhbārī scholars, and various Islamic schools regarding the application of these principles lead to varying interpretive outcomes. One of the principal findings is the distinction between purely legal-theoretical principles (such as practical legal principles and the doctrines of evidentiary authority) and principles grounded in rational convention (such as customary linguistic appearance, rational reconciliation of texts, and the practice of rational agents). The latter predate the formation of Uṣūl al-Fiqh as an independent discipline and were merely systematized and regulated by legal theorists rather than originated by them. It is therefore concluded that Uṣūl al-Fiqh should not be regarded merely as an introductory discipline to Qur'anic exegesis; rather, it constitutes the overarching methodological framework governing a substantial part of the process of understanding the Qur'an and its related sciences.

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Journal of Islamic Law and Jurisprudence

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 21 September 2026

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