Imam Tahāwi’s Methodology of Reasoning

(in the light of Sharaḥ M’ānī al-Athār)

Abstract

Imam Abu Jafar Tahāwi (RA) was a great Traditionist and Scholar
of Fiqh because he had made a great contribution in both Hadith and fiqh.
In this article his method of derivation through Qiyas has been presented
with examples from his books Sharaḥ M’ānī al-Athār and Sharaḥ Mushkil
ul-Athār. It is a reality that there are different principles to understand the
source of hadīth. So if a scholar does not have proper knowledge about it
he will not be able to solve the matters positively. Imam Tahāwi used
deductive analogy to support the issues proved by the traditions.
Sometimes, he used the reasoning and Qiyas against even the Hanfi School
of thought though he belongs to very school of thought. Sometimes, Imam
Tahāwi explains and determines the meaning of text to resolve the problem
regarding contradictory situation using Qiyas. His expertise in this
connection is match less.