How Do We Study the Verses of Rulings (Ahkam al-Quran)?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

How do we study the verses of rulings?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

The verses of rulings contain the Sacred Law rulings encompassing commands, prohibitions, and legal issues in the Noble Quran. They are the verses from which rulings are derived.

Generally, when we refer to the verses of rulings, we mean all types of rulings, whether they are related to beliefs, actions, or behavioral and ethical aspects. However, scholars have come to use the term “verses of rulings” specifically for the practical branches of Quranic rulings, known as legal rulings.

A group of scholars has focused on interpreting the verses of rulings that explain the laws of Islam and distinguish between the permissible and the forbidden. They have dedicated themselves to interpreting, studying, and deriving rulings from these verses. If they discuss other types of verses, it is secondary and not the primary focus. This specific type of interpretation has developed its own name and rules; it is known as legal exegesis, the exegesis of the jurists, or the exegesis of the verses of rulings, or the rulings of the Quran, as it was known to the early scholars, meaning the legal rulings derived from the Quran.

The exegeses of the verses of rulings (exegeses of the jurists) are distributed across the three main fiqh schools: Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi‘i. Examples include:

Ahkam al-Quran by Jassas

Authored by Abu Bakr Ahmad Ibn ‘Ali al-Razi al-Jassas, who died in 370 AH. This book follows the Hanafi School, specifically interpreting ruling verses and occasionally extending beyond them. It emphasizes linguistic and foundational principles, relies on hadith and traditions, often citing them with their chains of transmission, discusses the disagreements among jurists, and favors the opinions of Abu Hanifa and his companions.

Ahkam al-Quran by Tabari

This book was written by Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali al-Tabari, known as “al-Kiya” al-Harrasi, who passed away in 504 AH. It is structured according to the Shafi‘i School.

Ahkam al-Quran by Ibn ‘Arabi

It was written by the distinguished Imam and judge, Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Abdullah al-Ishbili, known as “Ibn ‘Arabi,” who passed away in 543 AH. His book is one of the most esteemed works in this field.

Al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Quran by Qurtubi

It was authored by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Farh al-Qurtubi, who passed away in 671 AH.

Important Considerations

When interpreting the verses of rulings, it is important to consider the following:

Number

Scholars have differed on the number of these verses. Some say there are 500 verses, others say 200, and some say only 150, while others believe they are not confined to a specific number. Those who say there are 500 verses may be referring to the verses explicitly stating the rulings. However, many rulings are also derived from narrative verses, parables, and other types of verses.

Zarkashi quoted Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id, who said that the number is not confined to 500 or less, but varies according to individual insights and the different understandings Allah bestows upon His servants. He might have meant the verses indicating rulings primarily, not implicitly or incidentally. Qarafi said: “You hardly find a verse without a ruling, and limiting it to 500 verses is far-fetched.” [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran, al-Bahr al-Muhit fi Usul al-Fiqh; Tufi, Sharh Mukhtasar al-Rawda; Qarafi, Sharh Tanqih al-Fusul]

Categories

It is essential to know that the verses of rulings are divided into two categories:

1. Verses that explicitly state the ruling: This is prevalent in the Quran, and the majority of Quranic rulings belong to this type. For example, Allah (Most High) says:

“O believers! (The law of) retaliation is set for you in cases of murder—a free man for a free man, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female. But if the offender is pardoned by the victim’s guardian, then blood-money should be decided fairly, and payment should be made courteously. This is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. But whoever transgresses after that will suffer a painful punishment.” [Quran, 2:178]

Another example is:

“Fasting is prescribed for you… So whoever is present this month, let them fast…” [Quran, 2:185]

Examples like these are found in many of the Madinan suras, where the verses of rulings are more frequent, such as Surat al-Baqara, al-Nisa’, and al-Ma’ida.

2. Verses that do not explicitly state the ruling but from which the ruling is derived through interpretation and contemplation: These are also divided into two subcategories:

• Rulings directly derived from the verse without linking it to another verse, such as deriving the validity of fasting for someone who wakes up in a state of major ritual impurity (junub) from the verse: “So now you may be intimate with them and seek what Allah has prescribed for you. (You may) eat and drink until you see the light of dawn breaking the darkness of night, then complete the fast until nightfall.” [Quran, 2:187]
• Rulings derived by linking a verse to another verse or a prophetic hadith, due to the relationship between them. An example of this is the interpretation by Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Ibn ‘Abbas that the minimum gestation period is six months, derived from the verse: “Their (period of) bearing and weaning is thirty months.” [Quran, 46:15], in conjunction with the verse: “and their weaning takes two years.” [Quran, 31:14]. If the breastfeeding period is subtracted from the thirty months, the remaining period is six months, which is the minimum gestation period.

The Prophet and His Companions

When interpreting the verses, it is essential to consider what the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said about them and whether he provided any explanation. This is because the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to explain these verses to his Companions through his words and actions, clarifying the general statements, restricting the unrestricted, and specifying the general.

For example, the Prophet clarified the types of wealth subject to zakat, their amounts, and times, despite the general command of Allah (Most High): “Establish prayer, and pay alms-tax. ” [Quran, 2:110] and “And pay the dues at harvest.” [Quran, 6:141]

It is also important to consider the sayings of the Companions, as they were keen on asking the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) about such verses.

For instance, ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab once asked the Prophet about the verse on Kalala, and the Prophet responded: “Does not the verse of the summer that is at the end of Surat al-Nisa’ suffice you?” [Muslim]

The Companions also made their own efforts to understand other verses of rulings after the Prophet’s death when they did not have specific knowledge from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

For example, Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) interpreted the verse: “And if a man or a woman leaves ‘kalala’.” [Quran, 4:12], saying: “I have my own opinion on Kalala. If it is correct, it is from Allah alone with no partner, and if it is wrong, it is from me and the devil. Allah is free from it. Kalala is what is left without a child or a parent.” [Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan ‘an Ta’wil Ay al-Quran]

Mastery in Islamic Sciences

It is crucial for anyone engaged in interpreting the verses of rulings to be proficient in the following essential sciences:

• Linguistics: Including grammar, morphology, derivation, and rhetorical sciences.
• The science of Qira’at (Quranic readings);
• Theology (Aqida);
• Usul al-Fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) and the principles of derivation;
• Hadith sciences related to Tafsir: Such as the reasons for revelation, abrogation and abrogated, and explanations of concise or ambiguous verses.
• Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence): Knowing the opinions of the juristic imams.

Methodologies of the Exegetes (Mufassirun)

Understanding the methodologies of the scholars who interpreted the verses of rulings in their books is important. This can be achieved by referring to books on the methodologies of the exegetes and the sciences of the Quran.

Tafsir Books, Especially Related to Rulings Directly

Referring to the books specifically dealing with the interpretation of the verses of rulings mentioned earlier, it is preferable to start with contemporary books, such as “Tafsir Ayat al-Ahkam” by Muhammad ‘Ali al-Says, a professor at Al-Azhar University, and “Rawa‘i‘ al-Bayan Tafsir Ayat al-Ahkam” by Sabuni.

Hadith Books Related to Rulings

Referring to books that explain the Hadiths related to rulings, such as “Tuhfat al-Tahdhib Sharh al-Taqrib” by ‘Iraqi, “Subul al-Salam Sharh Bulugh al-Maram” by San‘ani, and “Nayl al-Awtar Sharh Muntaqa al-Akhbar” by Shawkani, among many others.

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.