Hadith/sunnah in the Shafii method -The example of Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi (D. 476-1083)-

One of the primary aims of Islamic scholars has been to authentically determine the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, to understand its intent correctly, and to transmit it faithfully across generations. In this context, the science of ḥadīth has consistently occupied a central place in scholarly efforts to authenticate and preserve the Sunnah. This dissertation explores the ḥadīth and Sunnah conception of the Shāfiʿī legal theorist Abū Isḥāq al-Shīrāzī within the scope of his works on legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh). It investigates his classification of transmitted reports (khabar) into mutawātir and āḥād, the conditions he proposed for their acceptance, and the reasons for their rejection. Al-Shīrāzī defended the Shāfiʿī school's positions using both rational and textual evidence and responded to opposing views—primarily from the Ḥanafī school, but also from the Mālikī, Muʿtazilī, Ẓāhirī schools, and the muḥaddithūn—through detailed critique. Although al-Shīrāzī's perspective on reports and Sunnah largely aligns with the traditional views of the ḥadīth scholars, there are some notable differences. For example, unlike the majority of ḥadīth scholars, he permitted the transmission of ḥadīth in exchange for payment. The dissertation consists of an introduction, three main chapters, and a conclusion. The introduction discusses the research's topic, significance, objectives, methodology, sources, and presents the life and scholarly profile of al-Shīrāzī. The first chapter examines his understanding of khabar and related issues. The second chapter focuses on his views concerning narrators (rāwīs), narration (riwāyah), and the content transmitted (marwī). The third chapter analyzes his approach to the Sunnah and related legal and theological issues. The conclusion presents the main findings of the study.