Abu Shujaa Al-Isfahani
Abu Shujaa Al-Isfahani, whose full name is Ahmad bin al-Hussein bin Ahmad Shihab al-Din Abu al-Tayyib Al-Isfahani, was a prominent figure in the Shafi’i school of thought. He is well-known for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and has authored many significant works, including “Al-Taqreeb,” also known as “The Ultimate Summary,” and the “Sharh Al-Iqna’a” by Al-Mawardi. Born in the year 533 AH (1138 CE) in Basra, he spent nearly four decades in education and scholarship there. His reputation as a scholar, jurist, and pious individual set a benchmark, leading him to serve as a judge starting in 447 AH (1055 CE). Renowned for his fairness, he became a role model for other judges. In his later years, he settled in Medina, dedicating himself to the service of the Prophet’s mosque until his passing, and he was buried in a mosque he constructed adjacent to the Prophet’s mosque.
Matn Abu Shujaa Al-Isfahani
As a distinguished Shafi’i jurist, Abu Shujaa composed a legal text known as “Matn Abu Shujaa.” This comprehensive work is structured into sixteen chapters covering various aspects of Islamic jurisprudence. It commences with the chapter on purification, followed by sections on prayer, zakat (almsgiving), fasting, and pilgrimage. The text also addresses trade and commercial transactions, as well as inheritance and bequests, marriage laws and related issues, and criminal law. Consequently, it discusses the legal rulings regarding punishment, jihad, hunting and slaughter, sporting activities, oaths and vows, judicial processes, and testimonies, concluding with a chapter on emancipation.
Death of Abu Shujaa Al-Isfahani
The exact date of Abu Shujaa Al-Isfahani’s death remains a subject of scholarly debate. Historical accounts suggest that he met his teacher, the hadith scholar Abu Tahir Al-Silafi, in Basra in the year 500 AH. Al-Silafi noted that Abu Shujaa lived for a period after their encounter. According to various opinions, including citations by Al-Zirkili in his work “Al-A’lam,” his death is recorded as occurring in 593 AH (1197 CE). However, a consensus among scholars indicates that Abu Shujaa passed away in the year 500 AH of the Islamic calendar.