Product Description

This in-depth study presents a detailed analysis and critique of the classic Western work on the origins of Islamic law, Schachts Origins of Muhammadan Jurisprudence. Azamis work examines the sources used by Schacht to develop his thesis on the relation of Islamic law to the Quran, and exposes fundamental flaws in Schachts methodology that led to the conclusions unsupported by the texts examined. This book is an important contribution to Islamic legal studies from an Islamic perspective.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #527140 in Books
• Published on: 1996-06-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 238 pages

Review
For the first time we have work like Azamis; he has devoted literally years of research to the investigation of Hadith and has analysed, tested and passed scholarly judgement on Schachts argument step by step, working with actual hadith materials. This book is indeed an effective response to Schacht...Azami has, through this and other works, demonstrated himself to be an outstanding scholar of Hadith ...he is the most well-versed and learned scholar of the Islamic science of tradition. (Journal of Near Eastern Studies)

Journal of Near Eastern Studies
'For the first time we have a work like Azami's; he has devoted literally years of research to the investigation of Hadith and has analysed, tested and passed scholarly judgement on Schacht's argument step by step, working with actual hadith materials. This book is indeed an effective response to Schacht...Azami has, through this and other works, demonstrated himself to be an outstanding scholar of Hadith ...he is the most well-versed and learned scholar of the Islamic science of tradition.'

From the Publisher
‘For the first time we have work like Azami’s; he has devoted literally years of research to the investigation of Hadith and has analysed, tested and passed scholarly judgement on Schacht’s argument step by step, working with actual hadith materials. This book is indeed an effective response to Schacht...Azami has, through this and other works, demonstrated himself to be an outstanding scholar of Hadith ...he is the most well-versed and learned scholar of the Islamic science of tradition.’ (Journal of Near Eastern Studies)

Customer Reviews

A comprehsive refutation of Orientalist Schacht's thesis
This is a very important book in its field against the Orientalist onslaught against Islam and Muhammadan Jurisprudence. The author Muhammad Azami achived in his dissertation of refuting the orientalist Schacht's thesis on Muhammadan Jurisprudence. Schacht's Origins On Muhammadan Jurisprudence was highly acclaimed amongst Orientalists, such that H.A.R Gibb considered,"It will become the foundation for all future study of Islamic Civilisation and Law, at least in the West". Schacht's work in other words was regarded as the bible for the Orientalist attack on Islam, moreover, became a reference point of other Orientalists in refuting Islam. Muhammad Azami comprehensively repudiates Schacht's work by deconstructing his theories and arguement to the point of making it into mere fiction. Muhammad Azami elucidates on the lack of scientific approach taken by Schacht thus effecting his deduction. Schacht had two methods at his disposal 1. To draw conclusions from a study of the original sources of islam, the Quran or, 2. The writings of early scholars as sources. Schachts opts for the latter approach. Azami highlights in taking the second approach Schacht failled to consult the relavant literature and futhermore misunderstood the texts he quoted, even to the point of occassionally quoting out of context. Schacht's work as a result is full of contradictions and is completely opposed to History per se. The false methodology of Schacht concludes in the the total negation of Islamic jurisprudence by claiming the Hadith literature and its chain of narrators to be fogeries. Rather, Schacht concludes of a conspiracy to revive a non-existant legal history of the Prophet Muhammad in which the four legal schools in Islam get involved in perpetuating. The early scholars are accussed of putting words into the mouth of the Prophet Muhammad and interpretting the Hadiths to embody their own attitudes and doctrines... This particular book of Muhammad Azami dispels the theories of Schacht elegantly and in a lucid manner, leaving the reader in no doubt of the falsity and futility of Schacht's theories and accusations.

A scholarly and thorough, yet apporachable analysis.
As one has come to expect from the author, this work is a comprehensive and scholarly analysis, but one that with a little effort is approachable by a much wider audience.

The author explores in great detail Schact's arguments and methodologies and highlights the many weaknesses and contradictions, and many times the double standards in Schact's approach. The author, whilst Muslim, at all times proves his argument with sound, reasoned judgement and by the end of it one is left asking some very probing questions as to the validity and value of Schact's contribution, if any remains at all.

Given the importance attached to Schact's work in the West, this book is a must read, especially by those who wish to approach Oriental studies in the time-honoured scholarly tradition of fairly considering all evidence, rather than attempting to "prove" a preconceived conclusion.