Istishab

Istiṣḥāb (Arabic: استصحاب transl. continuity) is an Islamic term used in the jurisprudence to denote the principle of the presumption of continuity.[1] It is derived from an Arabic word suhbah meaning accompany.[2] It is one of the fundamental principles of the legal deduction that presumes the continuation of a fact. It is based on probability and can be applied in the absence of other proofs.[3]

Istishab, an initiative of ash-Shafii,[4] is the rationalistic principle of extracting a legal solution according to which changes are not considered to occur until clear signs of these changes are apparent. It serves as the basis for many legal rulings such as the presumption of innocence—the person is regarded as innocent unless proven guilty. Malik ibn Anas and ash-Shafii regarded it to be a proof until it is contradicted.[5] Several classical jurists differed over this principle with some Hanafi jurists refusing to regard it as an evidence.[6][7] It is now widely employed by the contemporary scholars.[8][9]

  1. ^ "Istishab - Oxford Islamic Studies Online". www.oxfordislamicstudies.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved 2017-11-30. Islamic legal term for the presumption of continuity, where a situation existing previously is presumed to be continuing at present until the contrary is proven.
  2. ^ Team, Almaany. "ترجمة و معنى استصحاب في قاموس عربي انجليزي" [Meaning of Istishab in English Arabic Almaany Dictionary]. www.almaany.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  3. ^ Ahmad, Abu Umar Faruq (2010). Theory and Practice of Modern Islamic Finance: The Case Analysis from Australia. Universal-Publishers. ISBN 9781599425177.
  4. ^ Sookhdeo, Patrick (2014-06-30). Understanding Islamic Theology. BookBaby. ISBN 9780989290548.
  5. ^ Baamir, Abdulrahman Yahya (2016-04-01). Shari'a Law in Commercial and Banking Arbitration: Law and Practice in Saudi Arabia. Routledge. ISBN 9781317055624.
  6. ^ al-Ḥasan., Muḥammadī, Abū (2002). Mabānī-i istinbāṭ-i ḥuqūq-i Islāmī, yā, Uṣūl-i fiqh (Chāp-i 14 ed.). Tihrān: Muʼassasah-ʼi Intishārāt va Chāp-i Dānishgāh-i Tihrān. ISBN 9640340766. OCLC 54049210.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ al-Ḥillī, al-ʿAllāmah (2016-11-10). Foundations of Jurisprudence - An Introduction to Imāmī Shīʿī Legal Theory: Mabādiʾ al-wuṣūl ilā ʿilm al-uṣūl. BRILL. ISBN 9789004311770.
  8. ^ Kamali, Mohammad Hashim (2008-03-17). Shari'ah Law: An Introduction. Oneworld Publications. ISBN 9781780740379.
  9. ^ "Al Qawaaid al Fiqhiyyah - Shakeel Mahate". www.smahate.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.