The Hadith Methodology of Qadi ‘Iyad in His Book Al-Shifāʾ bi-Taʿrīf Ḥuqūq al-Muṣṭafā (PBUH): His Merits and Criticisms (Part II)

المنهج الحديثي عند القاضي عياض في كتابه الشِّفا بتعريف حقوق المصطفى :ما له وما عليه؟ (الجزء الثاني)

Abstract

This study serves as a continuation of the first part published in the December 2021 issue of the journal, offering a methodological analysis of Al-Shifāʾ bi-Taʿrīf Ḥuqūq al-Muṣṭafā by Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ—an influential work in the field of Prophetic biography, particularly esteemed within Ashʿarī-Mālikī Sunni scholarship. The research comprises an introduction, three main sections, and a conclusion. The first section contextualizes the intellectual and scholarly environment that shaped Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ’s thought, outlining the foundations and motivations behind his authorship of Al-Shifāʾ. The second section examines Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ’s role as a Hadith scholar, highlighting his methodological contributions to Hadith sciences as reflected in the structure and substance of the work.

The current section (Part Two) engages with the criticisms directed at both Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ and his book, critically assessing their validity through inductive, analytical, and evaluative approaches. Upon close examination, the study finds that claims of negligence, bias, or excessive rigidity are largely unsubstantiated when considered in light of the work’s intellectual richness, methodological precision, and coherent argumentation. Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ’s selective treatment of issues and structured exposition indicate a scholarly foresight deserving of renewed academic attention. The study concludes by encouraging institutions and scholars to further engage with Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ’s legacy, especially Al-Shifāʾ, through detailed, interdisciplinary research and critical scholarship.