Demonstrative jurisprudence

Key Sources of Shia Jurisprudence

At the crux of demonstrative jurisprudence lie primary sources that serve as the foundation for legal rulings. These include:

• The Qur’an: The ultimate source of divine guidance, revered by Shia scholars as the immutable word of God.
• Hadith: Accounts of the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad and the Twelve Imams. The authenticity and chain of narrations (‘Isnad’) greatly influence their weight in legal reasoning.
• Consensus (Ijma): The collective agreement among scholars regarding a particular ruling, which can provide significant weight to interpretations that may not have direct textual support.
• Analogical Reasoning (Qiyas): While often viewed skeptically in other sects, Qiyas plays a nuanced role in Shia thought, permitting jurists to draw parallels between known rulings and new circumstances.

Methodologies in Demonstrative Jurisprudence