Hanafism in Dimesk during the Ayyubid Period

During the Ayyubid period, Damascus stood out as a major intellectual center where political stability and scholarly vitality allowed different madhhabs to coexist and interact. This study examines the political, social, and intellectual circumstances of both the Ayyubid dynasty and the city of Damascus, with particular focus on the Ayyubid approach to sectarian policies and the support given by al-Malik al-Muʿazzam to the Hanafi school, through which the inter-madhhab balance of the period is explored. In this context, Hanafi scholars shaped the scholarly character of Damascus through their academic contributions, fatwas, and written works. The debates among jurists over issues such as ijtihād and taqlīd, divergence from established madhhab opinions in legal rulings, as well as discussions on matters like samāʿ, the Raghaʾib prayer, and the talqīn supplication, reflect the intellectual dynamism of the era. The reasons why these scholars chose Damascus, their relations with political authorities, and their roles in social life constitute the main factors that explain the strong presence of Hanafism in the city. The findings of this study demonstrate that Hanafism in Ayyubid Damascus was not merely an individual preference or an intellectual orientation, but rather a multifaceted reality nurtured by political patronage, institutional support, and scholarly production. This conclusion provides a fresh perspective on the history of Islamic jurisprudence and the institutionalization of Islamic law, showing that the historical development of madhhabs must be understood through the combined influence of political, social, and intellectual factors.