The Evidentiary Methodology of Shaykh Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī in His Juristic Selections in Aḍwā’ al-Bayān fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān bil-Qur’ān

المنهج الاستدلالي لدى العلامة محمد الأمين الشنقيطي في اختياراته الفقهية في كتابه أضواء البيان في تفسير القرآن بالقرآن

Abstract

This study examines the methodological approach of the renowned scholar Shaykh Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī in deriving his legal opinions in his celebrated work Aḍwā’ al-Bayān fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān bil-Qur’ān. The research highlights the precision, consistency, and textual rigor that characterize his jurisprudential reasoning. Al-Shinqīṭī relied primarily on transmitted evidences—Qur’anic verses, prophetic traditions, consensus, the statements of the Companions, and the laws of previous nations—while organizing his arguments with remarkable clarity and strong adherence to the principles of Uṣūl al-Fiqh. He further employed rational proofs such as analogical reasoning (qiyās), presumption of continuity (istiṣḥāb), and inductive reasoning (istiqrāʼ) to reinforce his conclusions. The study demonstrates that his methodology is deeply rooted in classical scholarship, distinguished by systematic reasoning, careful identification of the point of contention, and a strong commitment to textual evidence. His approach represents a significant model for contemporary jurisprudential studies, illustrating how traditional principles can be applied with intellectual depth and analytical balance.