An Evaluation of Zaydî and Han
The end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth century of the hegira contains important data concerning the relationship between Zaydî and Hanafî scholars based on usûl al-fiqh (Islamic legal theory). In many Zaydî usûl books written in this period, quotations appear from Hanafî legal theorists such as Îsâ b. Abân, Karhi, Abû Abdullah al-Basrî. On the other hand, since the evidence of istihsan has passed into Zaydî books through such usûl scholars, one needs to question the Hanafî impact over these Zaydî books. Considering this as a starting point to the subject, this article aims to evaluate the Zaydî and Hanafî usul texts of the VIII-Xth centuries of hegira in terms of usûl writing. The analysis has taken into further consideration certain criteria such as the order/systematic of usûl books, the topics included in and excluded from the usûl context, the concepts employed in books, the use of furu al fiqh (substantive law) in the justification of usûl issues, and the use of logic and kalâm.
FATİH YÜCEL
