The understanding of usul of Hatîb Eş-Şirbînî

This study examines the methodological approach (usul) of Khatîb al-Shirbînî. Khatîb al-Shirbînî, an important Shafi'i jurist, mufassir, rhetorician, and linguist, lived in Cairo during the 10th century AH/16th century CE. The author wrote 27 works across various fields of knowledge, including tafsir, hadith, theology, jurisprudence, usul al-fıqh, and grammar. Among his most well-known works in the field of fıqh are al-Ikna' and Mughni al-Muhtaj, which have attracted significant attention in scholarly circles. In addition to his contributions to fıqh, al-Shirbînî also authored an important work on usul al-fiqh titled al-Badr al-Tâli' fi Hall Alfâzî Cem'i al-Jawami', which is a commentary on the Cem' al-Jawami', a book by Tâjuddîn al-Subkî, compiled from a hundred usul works. This study focuses on al-Shirbînî's approach to Cem' al-Jawami', analyzing how he agrees and disagrees with the content, his comparisons, preferences, critiques, and how he justifies his own views with both rational and textual proofs. It has been determined that his methodological approach was centered on the Quran and Sunnah, and that he grounded his views by utilizing rational proofs. Notably, his comparative methodology was applied successfully throughout this work. Al-Shirbînî's scholarly works demonstrate scientific rigor and analytical thinking, with particular attention to definitions and classifications, which he thoroughly analyzed. It was found that his usul understanding was shaped in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Shafi'i school, although he presented alternative views on certain issues. His original approaches are especially evident in discussions on the accountability of those under coercion (mukrah), the classification of taklîfî and wadi'î judgements, and other related matters.