Making Shiite ijtihad jurisprudence and the issue of power with emphasis on the jurisprudential school of Baghdad and Hilla

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy, Qom, Iran

10.22081/psq.2020.69304

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to understand the structure of the political thought of Shiite ijtihad jurisprudence. For this purpose, by the method of "inside understanding" and studying the jurisprudential works of the ijtihad school of Baghdad and Hillah, we have tried to get closer to understanding the living space and understanding the logic of their world. The study of these works reveals the relationship between ijtihad thinking and the concept of "Imamate". Ijtihad jurisprudence, with the aim of combining the Shiite and the reality of life in the period of absence, has used the principles of "ijtihad" in deriving the Shari'a ruling and established a link between Shari'a and reason. The most important consequence of this thinking is the reconstruction and extension of the theory of the Imam's religious authority in the form of the "theory of the representation of the mujtahid jurist" in some religious responsibilities. The theory of Shiite Imamate, in accordance with the Imami jurisprudential worldview, has been limited to the general representation of the jurist. Instead of thinking about establishing an "institution of political power" and reproducing political concepts to express the characteristics of the political leadership of the Absenteeism period, it has sought to lay the groundwork for the faithful life of the Shiites under the rule of various powers. For this reason, the concepts and issues related to political power have been discussed in different chapters and their jurisprudential ruling has been expressed that are in the decision-making area of the mujtahid jurist.

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