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Methods of reasoning

Course Description: This course covers inference and its types, methods of reaching Islamic legal rulings through linguistic and rational inference, inference using purposeful evidence, incidental, supplementary, or prioritizing evidence, and inference using general and specific evidence.

Credits: 2

Objectives of the course :

The course aims to introduce the student to inference and its types, how to infer using teleological, linguistic, and rational evidence for legal rulings, how to benefit from corroborating and supporting evidence in inferring rulings and weighting differing opinions, and to balance between general and specific evidence in case of conflict.

Course outputs :

Knowledge and understanding:
1. The student will identify and describe reasoning and its types in depth.
2. The student should thoroughly review the methods of inference using linguistic, rational, purposive, and corroborative evidence.
3. The student should explain the methods of objecting to evidence and discuss them soundly and in depth.
Skills:
To discuss the methodology of inferring with Sharia evidence and how to research it.
2. The student employs evidence to derive rulings and weigh different scholarly opinions.
3. The student accurately compares total evidence and partial evidence when there is a conflict.
4- The student will deduce how the fundamental principles of Islamic jurisprudence function within the Sharia evidence.
Values, autonomy and responsibility:
To be respectful of the sayings of scholars and those among his teachers and colleagues who share their views.
2. Argue with opponents positively.
3. The ability to take responsibility and be honest when presenting and critiquing the statements of others.

Additional information:

Course Topics:
First: Reasoning:
1 – The Reality of Inference
2 – Types of Evidence According to Usul al-Fiqh Scholars
Secondly: Inferring from the purposeful evidence:
1 – Reasoning by Public Interest
2- Inferring by blocking and opening means (i.e., prohibitions and permissions)
3- Taking into account differences of opinion.
4 - Reasoning by Istihsan
5 – Inference by Custom
6 – Inferring from Consequences
Third: Linguistic Inference
1 – Inference of the linguistic situation
2 – Reasoning by Context and Clues
3. Reasoning by the Linguistic Custom of the Street
4. Inferring grammatical meanings (particles, verbs, circumstantial clauses, exception, dependencies, morphological meaning, derivation, synonymy, etc.)
Fourth: Reasoning with intellectual evidence:
1. The reality of the intellect, its status, and its relationship to religious texts
2 - Logical Analogy Reasoning
3- Inferring from the primary evidence
4 – Reasoning by implication
5 - Proof by Excision and Division
6 - Reasoning by Certainty and Conjecture
7 – Inference by Istishab
Fifthly: Inferring with corroborative, supporting, or decisive evidence:
1 – Reasoning by caution
2 - Seeking Guidance from the Heart
3 – Reasoning by quoting the Majority
4 - Reasoning by Maqasid al-Shari'ah (Islamic Legal Objectives)
6 - Reasoning by Juristic Maxims
7 - Reasoning by taking the least that is said
8 – Inductive Reasoning
Sixth: Inferring from general and specific evidence:
1 – What is meant by general evidence and specific evidence
2 – Rules for Considering General Evidence in Conflict with Specific Evidence
3 - Applications for the conflict between general and specific evidence

Last updated: 2026-04-15