The thesis examines the development of the concept of Ijmāʻ, consensus, in Imāmī-Shīʻī principles of jurisprudence (uṣūl al-fiqh). In the introduction to the thesis there is an analysis of the concept of Ijmāʻ as generally understood in Islamic jurisprudence and a discussion of the approach adopted in the thesis as well as a general outline of the literature involved. The introduction also outlines the background to Imāmī Shīʻī jurisprudence during the time of the presence of the Imāms and the period immediately after the greater occultation of the Twelfth Imām. The main body of the thesis analyses the available major texts written by Imāmī-Shīʻī Uṣūli scholars from the time of al-Shaykh al-Mufid (413/1022) to the end of the nineteenth century with a brief discussion of the views of some recent Imāmī Shīʻī scholars. From the outset a difference of emphasis can be observed between scholars who argue in favour of a major role for reason, such as al-Sharīf al-Murtaḍā (436/1044) and those in favour of a greater reliance on Traditions from the Prophet and the Imāms, which is moderately represented by al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī (459/1067). The subsequent generations of scholars refined and further defined these concepts. In particular, in opposition to the movement in favour of general adherence to the Traditions, there arose from the proponents of the use of uṣūl al-fiqh a definition which gave much greater scope to the use of reason and the continuing guidance of the Twelfth Imām. The latter proposition reached its final form in Imām-Shīʻī uṣūl al-fiqh at the end of the nineteenth century in Kifayat al-uṣūl by Muḥammad Kāẓim al-Khurāsānī. Finally, there is a brief examination of the work of some recent scholars and a conclusion to the thesis.

Islamic Jurisprudence comprises of the laws that govern a Muslims daily life. The Prophet Muhammad explained and practically demonstrated these laws. The jurists studied the Quran and the Prophet's life and they adopted a refined methodology which they used to extract legal rulings and verdicts. This methodology is known as the Principles of Jurisprudence. The jurists expanded on this methodology with some differences among them on the usage and the application of some aspects as acceptable forms of evidence. Eventually, the Muslim world was left with four schools of jurisprudence that are present to this day. There are differences between these schools on some issues but these differences never caused conflict, instead it provided us with a wealth of knowledge. We need to study these schools and its principles together with the objectives and intent of the Shariah and utilize this to find solutions to all new issues that arise. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M. A. (Islamic Studies)

Islamic Jurisprudence comprises of the laws that govern a Muslims daily life. The Prophet Muhammad explained and practically demonstrated these laws. The jurists studied the Quran and the Prophet's life and they adopted a refined methodology which they used to extract legal rulings and verdicts. This methodology is known as the Principles of Jurisprudence. The jurists expanded on this methodology with some differences among them on the usage and the application of some aspects as acceptable forms of evidence. Eventually, the Muslim world was left with four schools of jurisprudence that are present to this day. There are differences between these schools on some issues but these differences never caused conflict, instead it provided us with a wealth of knowledge. We need to study these schools and its principles together with the objectives and intent of the Shariah and utilize this to find solutions to all new issues that arise. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M. A. (Islamic Studies)

Den islamiska rätten vilar på fyra rättskällor. Koranen, som enligt muslimsk uppfattning anses vara Guds bokstavliga och perfekt bevarade Tal är den högsta rättskällan. Koranen tolkas främst med hjälp av en språklig analys av relevanta verser tillsammans med de omständigheter som antas ha framkallat vissa verser. Därefter kommer profeten Muhammeds sunna som utgörs av hans gärning i tal och ageranden. Profetens sunna är bevarad i formen av hadither i diverse hadithsammanställningar. En hadith är i princip en rapport om en historisk händelse, men som vanligtvis relaterar till profetens sunna. Inom den islamiska rättstraditionen har en hel vetenskap utvecklats i syfte att identifiera och särskilja autentiska hadither ifrån fabricerade. Profetens sunna anses bära legislativ vikt och förklara hur koranens påbud och etik ska efterlevas i praktiken. Den tredje rättskällan utgörs av principen om ijma’ (konsensus). När det muslimska samfundet av rättslärda är helt eniga i en fråga om tolkningen av koranen och profetens sunna så anses deras konsensus bära en legislativ tyngd. Den fjärde rättskällan är qiyas (analogislut). Analogislut beskrivs som arketypen för all rättslig argumentation. Det avgörande vid tillämpningen av analogislut är identifierandet av en ratio legis. Ibland omnämns ratio legis explicit i en rättskälla och ibland är den endast implicerad. När ratio legis endast är implicerad så måste den verifieras som en legitim ratio legis eftersom alla ratio legis är ej legitima. Denna verifiering sker med hjälp av maqasid ash-shari’a (shari’ans ändamål). Shari’a anses ämna säkerställa fem övergripande ändamål som är bevarandet av tro, liv, avkomma, förnuft och förmögenhet. Dessa ändamål säkerställer mänskliga intressen nödvändiga för balans och harmoni, både i det världsliga livet som på domedagen. När ratio legis överensstämmer med dessa fem ändamål, så anses den vara legitim. Inom shari’a finns även ett antal olika rättsaktörer där den viktigaste är en mujtahid. En mujtahid är en kvalificerad jurist som kan utföra ijtihad och finna svaret på rättsliga frågor som ej besvaras uttryckligen i rättskällorna. I den islamiska rättstraditionen finns även rättsskolor. Det kännetecknande för rättsskolorna är juristernas enande kring en samling rättsliga principer. Det finns fyra rättsskolor i den islamiska rättstraditionen, den hanafitiska, den shafi’itiska, den hanbalitiska och den malikitiska.

La notion de scellement de la prophétie (khatm al-nubuwwa) est une doctrine centrale en Islam. R. Blachère (m. 1973) parle d’un « dogme théologique de valeur primordial ». Cependant, comme toute doctrine, celle-ci a une histoire qui, en l’occurrence, remonte aux débats survenus à la mort de Muḥammad pour savoir si la prophétie s’arrêtait ou continuait après lui. C’est un passage coranique, le Cor 33, 40, où l’épithète khātam est appliqué à Muḥammad, qui sera au coeur de ces débats et, par la suite, alimentera, jusqu’au VIIIe/XIVe siècle, de multiples controverses autour de la question de la prophétie et de l’héritage prophétique, de l’excommunication (al-takfīr), du consensus (ijmā‘), de la sainteté (al-walāya), etc. Toutefois depuis le XIXe siècle, plusieurs auteurs musulmans se proposent de renouveler les termes du débat à ce sujet. Sous leur plume, la notion de khātam al-nabiyyīn (sceau des prophètes) ou khatm al-nubuwwa (scellement de la prophétie) devient révélateur d’un ensemble de questions qui dépassent le seul fait de savoir si la prophétie continue ou s’arrête après Muḥammad. Par le biais de cette notion, c’est le rapport de l’Islam à la raison, à l’histoire, à la modernité qu’ils interrogent. Nous nous proposons donc de dresser, dans cette recherche, un tableau précis de la réception de ce passage coranique dans les premiers siècles et de ses relectures modernes et contemporaines. Une telle approche nous permettra de suivre, de manière concrète, l’évolution de la pensée islamique sur une doctrine fondamentale. Elle permettra aussi de montrer comment, dans la pensée islamique contemporaine, des auteurs tentent de soustraire le texte coranique des problématiques remontant aux premières générations. / The concept of finality of prophethood is a central doctrine in Islam. R. Blachère (d. 1973) talks about a “theological dogma of primary value”. However, like for all doctrines, this one has a background which goes back to the debates following Muḥammad’s death. Precisely, the debates were aimed at knowing if the prophecy was sealed after him? The crucial point of those debates concerns a passage from the Qur’ān, the Q. 33, 40, in which the epithet khātam is applied to Muḥammad. Indeed, numerous polemical debates had been fed by this passage up to the 8th/14th century concerning the question of prophecy, prophetic heritage, excommunication, consensus, sainthood, etc.However, since the nineteenth century, several Muslim thinkers proposed to renew the terms of the debate. In their writing, the concept of khātam al-nabiyyīn (seal of prophethood) or khatm al-nubuwwa (finality of prophethood) becomes indicative of a set of questions going beyond knowing if prophecy stops or continues after Muḥammad. Through this concept, they examine the relationship between Islam and Reason, Religion and History, Islam and Modernity, etc. In this study we raise a precise picture of the different interpretations of this concept both those developed in the earliest centuries of Islam and those written by modern and contemporary Islamic thinkers. Such an approach will allow us to follow concretely the evolution of the Islamic thought over a fundamental doctrine. It will also allow to highlight how, in the contemporary Islamic thought, some thinkers are trying to free the Qur’ānic text from issues goes back to the first generations of Islam.