Introduction: Religious Authority and Religious Authorities in Muslim Societies. A Critical Overview

Abstract

One of the most salient features of the Zahiri or literalist, school of law is its total rejection of qiys: reasoning by analogy. The Zhir madhhab, which is now extinct, originated in 3rd/9th century Baghdad, where it was initiated by Ab Sulaymn Dawud b. 'Al al-Isfahn. Dawuds teachings were also exported to the Islamic West. Although several of them contributed to the spread of Zahiri scholarship in their writings, we remain entirely dependent on the works of their compatriot, the wellknown polymath Ibn Hazm of Cordoba. This chapter examines this mans views on religious authority, and especially his uncompromising rejection of taqld. It presents some of the arguments that were advanced by the advocates of taqld, and Ibn azms refutation of them. The chapter also briefly discusses the alternative to taqld that was advanced by Ibn azm, viz. ijtihd for everyone. Keywords: Dawud; Ibn Hazm; Islam; religious authority; zahiri conception

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