The Contribution of Al-Shafi'i
Abu 'Abd Allah al-Shafi'i (767-819) documented a systematized form of usul, developing a cohesive, systematic procedure for legal reasoning(ijtihad). His approach contrasted with the Hanafite methodology that determined the sources from the sayings and rulings of the companions and successors. Furthermore, he raised the Sunnah to a place of prominence and restricted its legal use. According to al-Shafi'i, only practices directly passed down from Muhammad were valid, eliminating the legitimacy of practices of Muhammad's followers. Prior to al-Shafi'i, legal reasoning included personal reasoning thus suffering from inconsistency. al-Shafi'i is probably best known for writing Al-Risala, a prime example of applying logic and order to Islamic jurisprudence.
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