Characteristic features of Islamic law: Perceptions and misconceptions

Arab Law Quarterly

Volumn 15, Issue 2, 2000, Pages 168-196

  Zahraa, Mahdi ^a  

^a GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

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EID: 0042405332     PISSN: 02680556     EISSN: 15730255     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/A:1006701125236     Document Type: Article

References (123)

1. Westbrook, David A., "Islamic International Law and Public International Law: Separate Expressions of World Order", 33 VJIL (1993), p. 819.
2. Abu Atalah, Khadijeh, Al-Mam wa Al-'Alaqat al-Dawliyyah fi al-Silm wa Al-Harb, Dar Al-Ma'arif, Cairo, 1983, pp. 19-20.
3. Al-Zarqa' defines Fiqh as "the total sum of practical rulings which are Islamically legitimate", Al-Zarqa', Mustafa Ahmad, Al-Fiqh Al-Islamicfi Thawbihi Al-Jadid, Al-Madkhal Al-Fiqhi Al-'Aam, Dar Al-Fikr Liltiba'ah, Damascus, 1967, Vol. 1, paras. 1 & 2; Al-Khafif, defines Islamic Shari'a as "the rulings which Allah (s.w.t) has legislated for His slaves [human beings] through the Prophet (pbuh)
4. see Al-Khafif, Ali, Ahkam Al-Mu'aamalat Al-Shar'iyyah, Dar Al-Fikr Al-'Arabi, 3rd edn, Cairo, n. d., p. 3; Al-Khallaf, defines Shari'a as "the total sum of legitimate {shar'iyyah) practical rulings which are benefited from its detailed evidences"
5. Al-Khallaf, Abd Al-Wahhab, 'llm Usul Al-Fiqh, Al-Nashir Liltiba'ah wa Al-Nashir wa Al-Tawzi', 2nd edn, Cairo, n. d.;
6. Cf., Al-Qaradhawi, Yousif, Madkhal Lidrasat Al-Shari'ah Al-Islamiyyah, Maktabat Wahbah, Cairo, 1991, pp. 7-10 and 21-35;
7. Salqini, Ibrahim, Usul Al-Fiqh Al-Islami, Matba'at Al-Insha', Damascus, 1981, pp. 5-8.
8. Al-Duraini, Fathi, Khasa'is al-Tashrie' Al-Islami fi Al-Siyasah wa Al-Hukum, Muassaset Al-Risaleh, Damascus, 1982, pp. 94-99.
9. Cf, Mohammad, Ahmad Abu al-Wafa, Al-Mu'ahadat fi al Shari'ah al-hlamiyyah, op. cit., p. 15.
10. Muslim jurists do not differentiate between the concept of contract as part of municipal and the other terms which are used in the Qur'an to discuss international agreements, See for instance, Ibin Al-'Arabi (468-543), Muhiyy-al-din, Ahkam Al-Qur'an, Dar Al-kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, 1996, Vol. 2, pp. 5-12; Al-Jassass mentioned amongst the contracts of the Imam a pledge or commitment with the disbelievers
11. see Al-Jassass, Abi Bakr Ahmad Al-Razi (died 370 H.), Ahkam Al-Qur'an, Dar Al-Fikr, 1993, Vol. 2, pp. 5-12, 454-55 and 460-61;
12. Ibn Taymiyyah, Nadhariyyat al-'Aqd, Markaz Al-Kitab Lil-Nashr, Cairo, n. d., new edn of the original book written in 742 H., pp. 24-26, 64-68, 70, 94-95, 142-143, 144-162, 198-203 and 209;
13. Al-Shawkani, Muhammad bin Ali (died 1250 H.), Fath Al-Qadeer, Aalam Al-Kutub, n. p., n. d., Vol. 2, pp. 4-5;
14. Mohammad, Ahmad Abu al-Wafa, Al-Mu'ahadat fi al Shari'ah al-hlamiyyah, op. cit., pp. 16-21.
15. "... Nothing have we omitted from the book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their lord in the end." (Mafarratnafi al kitab min shot'...), The Qur'an, 6:38; "One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves; And We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people); and We have sent down to thee a Book explaining all [and every] things, a guide, a mercy and glad tidings to Muslims.", Al-Nahl, 89.
16. Cf, Abu Sulayman, Abdul Hamid A., Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations: New Directions for Methodology and Thought, The International Institute of Islamic Thought, Virginia, 1981, loc. cit.
17. See for instance, Al-Amidi, Sayf Al-Din, Al-Ihkamfi Usui Al-Ahkam, Dar Al-kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, edited by Ibrahim Al-'Ajouz, Beirut, n. d., loc. cit.;
18. Ibn Hazm, Al-Ihkamfi Usul Al-Ahkam, Dar Al-kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, edited by Ibrahim Al-'Ajouz, Beirut, n. d.;
19. see also, Al-Bouti, M. Sa'eed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, Dar Al-Fikr, Damascus, 1988.
20. Kamali, Hashim Mohammad, Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, Islamic Text Society, Cambridge, 1991, pp. 1-13;
21. see also, for instance, Al-Shafi'ie, Muhammad bin Idrees (150-204 H.), Al-Umm;
22. Ibn Hazm Al-Dzahiri, Al-Muhalla Bil-Aathaar;
23. Ibn Qudamah, Al-Mughni; Al-Sarkhasi, Al-Mabsout, Al-Ghazali, Ihya' Ulum Al-Din;
24. Al-Nawawi, Abi Zakariyya Muhyidin bin Sharaf, Al-Majmou' Sharh Al-Muhadzzab;
25. Al-Asbahi, Malik bin Anas, Al-Mudawwanah Al-Kubra;
26. Ibn Nujaym, Al-Bahr Al-Ra'eq;
27. Al-Kasani, Bada'eh Al-Sana'eh; etc.
28. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslaha fi Al-Shari'ah Al-Islamiyyah, loc. cit.;
29. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 60-79;
30. Al-Rayyess, Muhammad Dhiya' Al-Deen, Al-Nadhariyyat AL-Siyasiyyah Al-Islamiyyah, Dar A-Turath, Cairo, 1976, pp. 171-211;
31. Originally Muslim jurists discussed Muslims' conduct that did not comply with Islamic law in their religious and philosophical discussion on the perpetrators of sins and they varied in opinion as to the status of those who repeatedly committed minor sins or those who committed grave sins such as adultery or murder as to whether they could still be considered Muslims. See Al-Ghazali, Abi Hamid M. I. M., Ihya' 'Ulum Al-Din, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, n. d., Vol. 2, Kitab Al-Halal wa Al-Haram, pp. 100-170;
32. see Al-Mawardi, Abi Al-Hasan Ali, A1-'Ahkam Al-Sultaniyyah (450 H.), Dar Al-Kutub Al-'Ilmiyyah, Beirut, pp. 273-299 and 299-322
33. see also its translation in al-Mawardi, al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah, the Laws of Islamic Governance, translated by Yate, Asadullah, Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd, London, 1996;
34. Al-Farra' also discusses it under similar titles, see Al-Farra', Abi Ya'la, Al-Ahkam Al-Sultaniyyah, ed. Al-Faqi, Mohammad Hamed, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1983, pp. 258-308;
35. and also Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Siyyasah Al-Shar'iyyah, (Shari'a Politics), Maktabat Dar Al-Bayan, Damascus, 1985, pp. 127-152;
36. Ibn Khaldoun (died 808 H.), Moqadimat Ibn Khaldoun, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993, pp. 176-177
37. see also 363-370; Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, loc. cit.;
38. Habannakah, H. Abd Al-Rahman, Al-'Aqidah Al-Islamiyyah wa 'Ususuha, Dar Al-Qalam, 7th edn, Damascus, 1994, pp. 587-622.
39. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 107-108
40. All human civilisations have come, at some time in their history, to neglect the laws which led to their very existence. According to Islamic law this is usually the most vital reason that causes the collapse of civilisation. Many Qur'anic verses address this issue, see, for instance, Al-Baqarah, 59;
41. Al-e-Imran, 117;
42. Al-An'am, 44-45;
43. Al-A'raf, 103 and 162;
44. Al-Anfal, 24-25;
45. Yunus, 13 and 52;
46. Hud; Ibrahim, 44-45;
47. Al-Isra', 59;
48. Al-Kahf, 59;
49. Al-Anbya', 11;
50. and Al-Naml, 51-52;
51. Al-Ashbah Wa Al-Nadha'ir, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1985, p. 381.
52. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 92-94 and 55-59.
53. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 20-59.
54. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 55-59 and 92-94.
55. also Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Siyyasah Al-Shar'iyyah, op. at., pp. 127-152;
56. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 19-21 and 45-94.
57. The Qur'an, Al-Taghabun: 16 (A. Yusuf Ali Translation, 8th edn, 1996).
58. The Arabic wording is "Dzarouni ma taraktukum, fa-innama halaka man kana qablakum bikathrati su'alihim, wa ikhtilafihim 'ala anbiya' ihim fa-idza amartukum bi-shai'en fa'tu bihi mastatta'tum wa idza nahaytukum 'an shai'en fa-da'ooh.", Sahih, Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-I'itisam;
59. Ibn Majah, Introduction; Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad, Dar Ihya' Al-Turath Al-'Arabi, Beirut, 1993
60. Hadiths Nos. 7320, 7449, 8053, 9239, 9488, 9577, 9692, 9890, 10056, 10229;
61. Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Siyyasah Al-Shar'iyyah (Shari'a Politics), Maktabat Dar Al-Bayan, Damascus, 1985, p. 19.
62. Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-Siyam, Bab 138, and Kitab Al-Iman, Bab 13 and 33;
63. The Qur'an, Al-Baqarah: 183-185.
64. Al-Jaza'iri, Abu Bakr, Minhaju Al-Muslim, Dar Zuhd Al-Qudsi Liltiba'ah wa Al-Nashr, n. p., 1990, pp. 579-590.
65. Al-Sleh, Subhi, Al-Nudzum Al-Islamiyyah, Nash'atuha wa Tattaworaha, Dar Al-Ilm Lilmalayeen, Beirut, 1980, pp. 463-476.
66. Islamic law provides numerous conditions and provisions that if they are followed the institution of slavery would not be comparable to other slavery systems in other societies. Rather it would have been considered as a labour system whereby the relationship between the worker (slave) and his master (owner) is strictly regulated. My proof to this argument stems from a hadith by the Prophet (pbuh) when he prohibits his companions to address their "slaves" as "my slave" and orders them to address them asfataia "my boy" or fatati "my girl". He said, "None of you should say: my [male] slave, my [female] slave, all of you are slaves to Allah, and all of your women are slaves to Allah; but he[/she] should say my [male] servant (Ghulami) and my [female] servant (jariyan), my boy (fataia) and my girl (fatati)." See Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad, op. cit., Hadiths Nos. 9648 & 9911.
67. An-Na'im, Abdullahi Ahmed, "Islamic Law, International Relations, and Human Rights: Challenge and Response", Corned International Law Journal, Vol. 20, p. 317 at pp. 320-323 and 333-335.
68. See for instance, The Qur'an, Al-Nisa': 83; The Qur'an, Al-Nahl: 43; The Qur'an, Al-Anbiya': 7;
69. See also Ibn Jazzy (693-741 H.), Al-Qwanin Al-Fiqhiyyah, Al-Maktabah Al-Thaqafiyyah, Beirut, n. d., pp. 276-27.
70. The identification of the legal nature of the facts of each case is called in Islamic law Tahqiq al-Manatt. This is a process in accordance with which the jurist or judge examines the facts at hand and finds the best ruling to judge the case. See Al-Bouti, Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslahafi Al-Shari'ah Al-Islamiyyah, op. cit., pp. 122-;
71. Al-Buoti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 212-217.
72. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 92-94, 131-144 and 212-214;
73. Al-Bouti, Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslaha fi Al-Shari'ah Al-Islamiyyah, op. cit., pp. 124-125.
74. Ibn Hazm, Al-Ihkamfi Usul Al-Ahkam, op. cit., Vol. 2, pp. 61-85 and 629-643;
75. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 92-94;
76. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, loc. cit.;
77. Ibn Qayyem Al-Jawziyah (died 751 H.), I'llam Al-Muwaqqieen, Al-Maktabah Al-'Asriyyah, Beirut, 1987, Vol. 3, pp. 14-70;
78. Ibn Taymiyyah, Nadhariyyat al-'Aqd, Markaz Al-Kitab Lil-Nashr, Cairo, n. d., (the original book was written in 742 H.), pp. 80-83;
79. Al-Rayyess, Muhammad Dhiya' Al-Deen, Al-Nadhariyyat AL-Siyasiyyah Al-hlamiyyah, op. cit., p. 336.
80. Ibn Taymiyyah, Nadhariyyat Al-'Aqd, ibid.
81. Al-Zarqa', Mustafa Ahmad, op. cit., para 624;
82. Al-Ashbah Wa Al-Nadha'ir, op. cit., pp. 105-108;
83. Ibn Nujaim, Al-Ashbah Wa Al-Nadha'ir, op. cit., pp. 105-108;
84. Al-Zarqa', Mustafa Ahmad, op. cit., para. 624;
85. Ibn Nujaim, Al-Ashbah Wa Al-Nadha'ir, op. cit., pp. 105-108;
86. Al-Shafi'ie, Muhammad bin Idrees (150-204 H.), Al-Umm, ed. by M. Z. Al-Najjar, Dar Al-Ma'rifah, Beirut, n. d., Vol. 6, p. 204.
87. Ibn Nujaim, Al-Ashbah Wa Al-Nadha'ir, op. cit., pp. 105-108. "Abd Al-Razzaq said: narrated by Sammak Ibn Al-Fadhl from Wahab Ibn Munabah that Al-Hakam Ibn Mas'ood Al-Thaqafi said: 'Omar Ibn Al-khattab judged [in a case in which] a woman died and left her husband, her mother, two full brothers and two half brothers from her father and decided to distribute the third of her inheritance between all the full as well as half brothers. A man said to him [to Omar] 'you did not do the same in the year so and so.' Omar replied: 'that [decision] was according to what we had judged then and this [decision] is according to what we are judging today'"
88. Qin. Ibn Qayyem Al-Jawziyah, op. cit., Vol. 1, pp. 110-111;
89. Al-Ahwal Al-Shahksiyyah fi Al-Ahliyyah wa Al-Wassiyyah wa Al-Tarikat, Damascus, Al-Matba'ah Al-Jadidah, 5th ed, 1977, pp. 415-22. For instance there was a difference of opinion in the case of the grandfather with the brothers of the deceased amongst the companions of the Prophet (pbuh); and because of the difficulty in answering such questions some Companions tried their best to avoid such cases.
90. See Al-Ramly, Shams Al-Din M., Nihayat Al-Muhtaj Ila Shark Al-Minhaj, Cairo, Mustafa Al-Babi Al-Halabi & Sons Publisher, 1967, Vol. 6, pp. 24-27.
91. See also other examples on Omar's judicial decisions in Al-Bouti, Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslahafi Al-Shari'ah Al-hlamiyyah, op. cit., pp. 127-143.
92. Abu Zahrah, Muhammad, Al-'Alaqat Al-Dawliyyah fi Al-hlam, Dar Al-Fikr Al-'Arabi, Kuwait, n. d., p. 79.
93. Al-Shatibi, Abi Ishaq, op. cit., Vol. 1, pp. 29-106;
94. Al-Amidi, Sayf Al-Din, op. cit., the whole book;
95. Ibn Hazm, Al-Ihkamfi Usul Al-Ahkam, op. cit., the whole book;
96. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, loc. cit.;
97. Al-Bouti, Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslahafi Al-Shari'ah Al-Islamiyyah, loc. cit.;
98. Abu Zahrah, Muhammad, Al-'Alaqat Al-Dawliyyahfi Al-Islam, op. cit., pp. 50-59.
99. This is not to suggest similarity or dissimilarity between Islamic law and common law: it is only to denote the importance of identifying the legal nature of the relevant facts of a particular case. However, for the difficulties in common law regarding interaction between facts and law see for instance, Walker, David M., The Scottish Legal System, An Introduction to the Study of Scots Law, 7th edn, Edinburgh, W. Green/Sweet & Maxwell, 1997, pp. 184-192; see also the relevant paragraphs in the previous editions of the same book.
100. The Qur'an, Al-Baqarah: 280 (A. Yusuf Ali Translation, 8th edn, 1996).
101. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Abhathun fi Al-Qimmah, Maktabat Al-Farabi, Damascus, n. d., pp. 358-371.
102. Ramadan, Said, Islamic Law and Its Scope and Equity, Macmillan Limited, London, 1961, pp. 15-17.
103. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, loc. cit.;
104. Al-Bouti, Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslahafi Al-Shari'ah Al-lslamiyyah, loc. cit.;
105. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 39-40;
106. Al-Khudari, Muhamad, Tarikh Al-Tashri' Al-hlami, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1994, pp. 189-216.
107. For instance, see Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Abhathun fi Al-Qimmah, op. cit., pp. 345-371.
108. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Abhathunfi Al-Qimmah, op. cit., pp. 322-324 and 358-361.
109. Such as, the Qur'an, Al-Baqarah: 185 and 286.
110. Such as the Qur'an, Al-Baqarah: 282 and Al-Nisa': 35;
111. Hadith Umm Salamah that the prophet (pbuh) said: "I am but a human and you come to me and bring your disputes before me; Perhaps some of you are more eloquent than the others in expressing his [dispute and] evidence, so I judge according to what I have heard from him. That whom I judged in his favour [unknowingly] encroaching on his brother's [the other disputant] right should [I warn him] not take a thing of it [that truly belongs to the other]; for, [by being caused to pass an erroneous judgement] I am cutting for him a piece from hellfire." Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-Shahadat; Muslim, Kitab Al-Aqdhiyah; Al-Muwatta', Kitab Al-Aqdhiyah; Al-Zarqa', Mustafa Ahmad, op. cit., para. 3;
112. Al-Bouti, Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslahafi Al-Shari'ah Al-hlamiyyah, op. cit., p. 151.
113. Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-I'itisam, Bab 1186;
114. Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab Al-Aqdhiyah;
115. Al-Nasa'ie, Kitab Aadab Al-Qadhat; Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad, op. cit., Hadiths Nos. 17320 and 17360;
116. see also Majalat Al-Ahkam Al-'Adliyyah, Art. 36. This rule also appears in the form that "Rulings change according to the change of time and place" (taghaiyur al-ahkam betaghaiyur al-zman wa al-makan); Hassaballah, Ali, Usul Al-Tashri' Al-Islami, Dar Al-Fikr Al-'Arabi, 6th edn, Cairo, 1982, pp. 105-109;
117. Al-Shatibi, Abi Ishaq (Died 790 H.), Al-Muwafaqat, Dar Al-Ma'rifah, Beirut, ed. by Abdullah darraz, n. d. Vol. 2, pp. 283-298.
118. Al-Ghazali, Abi Hamid M. I. M., Al-Mustasfa.
119. Al-Bouti, M. Sa'eed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, loc. cit.
120. Abu Sulayman, Abdul Hamid A., op. cit. Abu Sulayman seems to have addressed the question of changeability of time and place calling it space-time. A reader of Islamic jurisprudence would find himself unable to agree with AbuSulayman for the following reasons: (1) He misunderstood and misused the term Usui using it sometimes to denote procedural rules and other times as substantive rules. The term Usul in Islamic jurisprudence has a very clear meaning denoting the procedural rules of Islamic methodology but not to substantive jurisprudence rules which are known as al-masa'el wa alfuru': the former is studied under the subject of Usui Al-Fiqh and the latter is studied under the subject of Fiqh. See, Kamali, Hashim Mohammad, op. cit., pp. 1-13. (2) He addresses the problem as defects in the methodology of Islamic law; but his argument leads the reader to the conclusion that the problem is in the use of the methodology rather than the methodology itself. I should like to comment that although his conclusion might be correct in certain cases it does not bear the ability to be generalised as a major defect in Islamic methodology in general. This is simply because Usul Al-Fiqh has been well defined and made final and conclusive procedures based on which practical matters of Fiqh is deduced com. and induced. This has been well explained by Al-Bouti, M. Sa'eed Ramadan, Al-Salafiyyah Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubarakah La Madhhabun Islami, op. cit., pp. 45-94;
121. and also in Al-Bouti, M. Sa'ieed Ramadan, Dhawabitt Al-Maslaha fi Al-Shari'ah Al-Mamiyyah, 6th edn, Mu'assasat Al-Risalah, Damascus, 1992, pp. 107-279. (3) AbuSulayman seems to show that changeability of time and place has been ignored by Muslim jurists and scholars throughout Islamic history. The reader of Islamic jurisprudence will undoubtedly discover that either AbuSulayman did not invest enough research into Islamic jurisprudence or he chose to misrepresent it. In fact this aspect has been addressed throughout the various stages of Islamic jurisprudence and I should like to cite some examples of prominent Muslim jurists and scholars who addressed this issue and put it in its correct perspective. Amongst them are: Al-Shatibi, Abi Ishaq (died 790 H.), Al-Muwafaqat, loc. cit.;
122. Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali, Al-Qawa'id (The Rules), Rules Nos. 121-122;
123. Ibn Abdin, Majmou'at Rasa'el Ib 'Abidin, Dar Ihya' Al-Turath Al-'Arabi, Beirut, n. d., pp. 112-145; etc.