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'''Akhbārīs''' (Arabic: {{ | '''Akhbārīs''' (Arabic: {{ia|أخباريون}}) are a group of [[Imamiyya]] [[jurist]]s who take the only source of fiqh (the deduction of [[shari'a]] laws) to be [[akhbar]] (narrations and [[hadiths]] by the [[Prophet (s)]] and [[Imams (a)]]). The group emerged in the 11th/17th century. They disallowed the method of [[ijtihad]] and [[principles of jurisprudence]] for the deduction of shari'a laws. They were opposed to [[Usulis]] who require the method of ijtihad and principles of jurisprudence for the deduction of shari'a laws. | ||
The opposition between Imamiyya Akhbaris and Usulis was already there before the 11th/17th century, though in a non-official and implicit fashion. However, in this century, the opposition increased, the terminologies of Akhbari and Usuli became current, and they explicitly expressed their oppositions to one another. | The opposition between Imamiyya Akhbaris and Usulis was already there before the 11th/17th century, though in a non-official and implicit fashion. However, in this century, the opposition increased, the terminologies of Akhbari and Usuli became current, and they explicitly expressed their oppositions to one another. | ||
[[Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi]], [['Abd Allah b. Salih | [[Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi]], [['Abd Allah b. Salih al-Samahiji]], and [[Mirza Muahmmad al-Akhbari]] were extreme Akhabris, and [[al-Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani]], [[al-Sayyid Ni'mat Allah al-Jaza'iri]], [[Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani]], [[Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi]], [[Muhammad Tahir al-Qummi]], and [[al-Shaykh al-Hurr al-'Amili]], among others, were moderate Akhbaris. Opposed to them were prominent Usulis such as [[al-Wahid al-Bihbahani]], [[al-Shaykh al-Ansari]], and [[al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita']]. | ||
The main points of disagreements between Akhbaris and Usulis concern issues such as illegitimacy or permissibility of the method of ijtihad (deducing the laws of shari'a via methods of [[usul al-fiqh|usul]]), the restriction of evidence for laws of shari'a to the [[Qur'an]] and [[hadith]], the prohibition of acquiring probable beliefs about Islamic laws, the way hadiths should be classified, the permissibility of following ([[taqlid]]) people other than [[ | The main points of disagreements between Akhbaris and Usulis concern issues such as illegitimacy or permissibility of the method of ijtihad (deducing the laws of shari'a via methods of [[usul al-fiqh|usul]]), the restriction of evidence for laws of shari'a to the [[Qur'an]] and [[hadith]], the prohibition of acquiring probable beliefs about Islamic laws, the way hadiths should be classified, the permissibility of following ([[taqlid]]) people other than the [[Prophet (s)]] and [[Imams (a)]], subscription to the appearances of the Qur'an, [[rational good and badness|rational goodness and badness]] (husn and qubh), the practical principle of bara'a (exemption or exoneration), the prohibition of employing some kinds of analogy ([[qiyas]]) to deduce laws of shari'a, the reliability of all hadiths contained in the [[Four Books]], and so on. | ||
==Origins and Historical Formation== | ==Origins and Historical Formation== | ||
The contrast between Akhbari and Usuli schools in the [[ | The contrast between Akhbari and Usuli schools in the [[Imamiyya]] [[jurisprudence]] traces back to the early centuries of Islam. Within Imamiyya schools of fiqh in the first three centuries A.H. (7th to 10th centuries), there were tendencies to deduce the laws of shari'a, in contrast to those who followed the letter of hadiths without making any deductions. | ||
===Heyday of Hadithism=== | ===Heyday of Hadithism=== | ||
The fourth/tenth century is the period of the prominence of the hadithist school in [[Qom]]. Deductivist | The fourth/tenth century is the period of the prominence of the hadithist school in [[Qom]]. Deductivist [[jurist]]s, such as [[Al-Hasan b. 'Ali al-Hadha' al-'Ummani|Ibn Abi 'Aqil al-Ummani]] and [[Ibn Junayd al-Iskafi]] were among the minority. Prominent scholars of fiqh in this period were [[Muhammad b. Ya'qub al-Kulayni]] (d. 328/940), [['Ali b. Babawayh al-Qummi]] (d. 329/941), [[Ibn Qulawayh al-Qummi]] (d. 367/977-78) and [[al-Shaykh al-Saduq]] (d. 381/991-92), who significantly contributed to the production of the oldest collections of jurisprudential hadiths. | ||
===Approach to Demonstrative Fiqh=== | ===Approach to Demonstrative Fiqh=== | ||
{{main|Demonstrative Fiqh}} | {{main|Demonstrative Fiqh}} | ||
With [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] (d. 413/1022) and [[al-Sharif al-Murtada]] (d. 436/1044-45) and [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] (d. 460/1067), who wrote the first works concerning the principles (usul) of Imamiyya fiqh, a new movement began in [[Imamiyya]] directing the tendencies of Imamiyya | With [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] (d. 413/1022) and [[al-Sharif al-Murtada]] (d. 436/1044-45) and [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] (d. 460/1067), who wrote the first works concerning the principles (usul) of Imamiyya fiqh, a new movement began in [[Imamiyya]] directing the tendencies of Imamiyya [[jurist]]s to deductive fiqh (instead of hadithism) for centuries. The contrast between the two tendencies can be seen in the works of the above scholars. In his ''[[Awa'il al-maqalat]]'', al-Shaykh al-Mufid mentions scholars of deductive jurisprudence as "faqihs", and hadithists as "ahl al-naql" (people of narration), "ashab al-athar" and the like. In an essay by al-Sharif al-Murtada, "ashab al-hadith" is opposed to scholars of fiqh with a method of usul who were supported by him. | ||
===Emergence of "Akhbari" Term=== | ===Emergence of "Akhbari" Term=== | ||
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[[Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi]], the founder of Akhbarism among [[Imamiyya]] Shiites, is said to have been the first to criticize the method of [[usul al-fiqh]] and [[ijtihad]], classifying Imamiyya into Akhbaris and [[Mujtahid]]s (that is, Usulis). He was a mujtahid himself, receiving his [[permission for ijtihad]] from prominent scholars, but he later refused to remain committed to their methodology. It seems that he has been much influenced by the thoughts of his teacher, [[Mirza Muhammad al-Astarabadi]]. Muhammad Amin wrote his doctrines and opinions in a book entitled ''[[al-Fawa'id al-Madaniyya]]'', which is a major source of reference for Akhbaris. | [[Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi]], the founder of Akhbarism among [[Imamiyya]] Shiites, is said to have been the first to criticize the method of [[usul al-fiqh]] and [[ijtihad]], classifying Imamiyya into Akhbaris and [[Mujtahid]]s (that is, Usulis). He was a mujtahid himself, receiving his [[permission for ijtihad]] from prominent scholars, but he later refused to remain committed to their methodology. It seems that he has been much influenced by the thoughts of his teacher, [[Mirza Muhammad al-Astarabadi]]. Muhammad Amin wrote his doctrines and opinions in a book entitled ''[[al-Fawa'id al-Madaniyya]]'', which is a major source of reference for Akhbaris. | ||
[['Abd Allah b. Salih | [['Abd Allah b. Salih al-Samahiji]] was a radical, zealous proponent of Akhbarism in the 11th/17th century, who wrote the book, ''[[Munyat l-mumarisin]]''. According to [[al-Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani]], 'Abd Allah used to insult proponents of ijtihad, even though his father, Mulla Salih, was a mujtahid (Usuli). | ||
Abu Ahmad Jamal al-Din Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Nabi al-Nisaburi al-Astarabadi (d. 1232/1816-1817), known as [[Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari]], insulted and disrespected prominent Usuli scholars, such as [[Mirza Abu l-Qasim al-Qummi]], [[al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita']], [[Sayyid 'Ali al-Tabataba'i]], [[al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Isfahani]] and [[Muhammad Ibrahim al-Kalbasi]]. This is why, the verdict on his execution was signed by scholars of that time, such as [[al-Sayyid Muhammad al-Mujahid]], son of Sayyid 'Ali al-Tabataba'i, [[Musa Kashif al-Ghita]], son of al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita', [[Sayyid 'Abd Allah Shubbar]], and [[al-Shaykh Asad Allah al-Kazimayni]]. | Abu Ahmad Jamal al-Din Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Nabi al-Nisaburi al-Astarabadi (d. 1232/1816-1817), known as [[Mirza Muhammad al-Akhbari]], insulted and disrespected prominent Usuli scholars, such as [[Mirza Abu l-Qasim al-Qummi]], [[al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita']], [[Sayyid 'Ali al-Tabataba'i]], [[al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Isfahani]] and [[Muhammad Ibrahim al-Kalbasi]]. This is why, the verdict on his execution was signed by scholars of that time, such as [[al-Sayyid Muhammad al-Mujahid]], son of Sayyid 'Ali al-Tabataba'i, [[Musa Kashif al-Ghita]], son of al-Shaykh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita', [[Sayyid 'Abd Allah Shubbar]], and [[al-Shaykh Asad Allah al-Kazimayni]]. | ||
==Moderate Akhbaris== | ==Moderate Akhbaris== | ||
[[Al-Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani]] (d. 1186/1772) adopted a methodology in between Akhbarism and Usulism. Al-Bahrani claimed that the methodology of [[ | [[Al-Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani]] (d. 1186/1772) adopted a methodology in between Akhbarism and Usulism. Al-Bahrani claimed that the methodology of [[jurisprudence]] should be in accordance with [[Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi]]'s method that provides a middle way between Akhbarism and Usulism. [[al-Wahid al-Bihbahani]] explicitly opposed al-Bahrani, forbidding people from saying prayers under his leadership. Al-Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani, as the leader of Akhbaris, asked them not to sharply oppose and criticize Usulis in order to prevent a split and conflict among Shiite scholars. [[Sayyid Ni'mat Allah al-Jaza'iri al-Shushtari]] (d. 1112/1701) was an Akhbari scholar, but he attempted a lot to appreciate Usuli scholars and their proponents. | ||
Some people have considered [[Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani]] (d. 1091/1680-1681) as an Akhbari scholar. He says: "we follow the [[Qur'an]] and [[hadith]]s, and we do not know anything else". Though in this text he seems to oppose [[Sufism]], rather than [[ijtihad]] and usul, he also maintains that the minds of ordinary (non-infallible) people are imperfect and unreliable. In some of his work, such as ''[[al-Kalimat al-maknuna]]'', Fayd Kashani has explicitly attacked ijtihad and the method of usul. A consideration of such remarks assures us that he has tendencies to Akhbarism. He holds that Usulis, by establishing the method of usul, have made divine obligations too difficult—they have issued verdicts about things that God did not say anything about, in fact, it was part of [[divine wisdom]] to remain silent about those things. | Some people have considered [[Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani]] (d. 1091/1680-1681) as an Akhbari scholar. He says: "we follow the [[Qur'an]] and [[hadith]]s, and we do not know anything else". Though in this text he seems to oppose [[Sufism]], rather than [[ijtihad]] and usul, he also maintains that the minds of ordinary (non-infallible) people are imperfect and unreliable. In some of his work, such as ''[[al-Kalimat al-maknuna]]'', Fayd Kashani has explicitly attacked ijtihad and the method of usul. A consideration of such remarks assures us that he has tendencies to Akhbarism. He holds that Usulis, by establishing the method of usul, have made divine obligations too difficult—they have issued verdicts about things that God did not say anything about, in fact, it was part of [[divine wisdom]] to remain silent about those things. | ||