8/6/2019 Abd al-Rahman al-Awza'i (707-774)
1/2
Abd al-Rahman al-Awza'i
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Abu Amr Abd al-Rahman ibn Amr al-Awzai (707 - 774) was the chief
representative and
eponym of the Awzai school ofIslamic jurisprudence, which
descended from the ancient Syrianschool.
Apparently, born in Damascus, Syria in 707, very little of
al-Awzai's writings survive, but hisstyle of Islamic jurisprudence
(usul al-fiqh) is preserved in Abu Yusuf's (d.798) bookAl-radd
ala
siyar al-Awzai, in particular his reliance on the "living
tradition," or the uninterrupted practice ofMuslims handed down
from preceding generations. For Awzai, this is the true Sunnah
of
Muhammad (d. 632). Awzai's school flourished in Syria, the
Maghreb, and Muslim Spain but
was eventually overcome by the Maliki school of Islamic law in
the 9th century. However, givenhis authority and reputation as a
Sunni Imam and pious ancestry, his views retain potential as
asource of law and a basis for alternative legal approaches and
solutions. He died in 774 and was
buried nearBeirut, Lebanon, where his tomb is still
visited.[1]
Contents
[hide]
y 1 History of the Madhhab of al-Awzaio 1.1 In the Maghreb and
Muslim Spaino 1.2 In Syria
y 2 Notes
[edit] History of the Madhhab of al-Awzai
[edit] In the Maghreb and Muslim Spain
The reason why the people of Morocco took up the madhhab of Imam
Malik, is that the peopleof Morocco and Spain were originally upon
the madhhab of al-Awzai, and likewise the Sham,
from where they were conquered. Then during the rule ofAl-Hakam
I, the official fatwas werechanged and given according to the
opinion of Malik ibn Anas and the people of al-Madeenah.
This was due to the opinion and preference of al-Hakam due to
some political benefits he sawand they differ about the actual
reason. Most hold that it was due to the scholars of Spain
travelling to al-Madeenah, then when they returned to Spain they
spoke of the excellence ofMalik, his wide knowledge and great
station, so they honoured him and preferred his madhhab.
Others say that Imam Malik asked some of the people of Spain
about the rule in Spain and theydescribed it to him and Malik was
very pleased by it since the Abbasids in that time did not rule
8/6/2019 Abd al-Rahman al-Awza'i (707-774)
2/2
in a manner that was agreeable. So, Imam Malik said to the
person who told him, We ask Allaahto enlighten our sacred precincts
with your rule. This was transmitted to the ruler of Spain, who
already knew of the knowledge, excellence and piety of Malik; so
he lead the people to accepthis madhhab and ordered that the
madhhab of al-Awzai be abandoned. The kings of Morocco
and the west agreed that the rulings and actions should be
according to the preferences of Ibn al-
Qaasim al-`Utaqi (a famous student of Malik) only.
[2]
[edit] In Syria
In Syria, the Madhhab of al-Awzai remained the main school of
thought until the 10th century,
when Abu Zarah Muhammed ibn Uthman of the Shafiee Madhhab was
appointed judge ofDamascus. Abu Zarah began the practice of giving
a prize of 100 dinars to any student who
memorized the book, Mukhtasr al-Muzanee (the basics of Shafiee
fiqh). Naturally, the practicecaused the Shafiee Madhhab to spread
rapidly in Syria, until none of al-Awzais followers
remained until the 11th century.[3]
[edit] Notes
1. ^ John Esposito, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, Oxford
University Press, 20032. ^ Nafh ut-Teeb min Ghasn il-Andalus
ir-rateeb, by Ahmad al-Muqree al-Maghribee
(3/158)3. ^ al-Madkhal, pg.205-206, and Fiqh al-Imaam al-Awzai,
by Abdullah Muhammed
al-Jabooree,
Retrieved from
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Rahman_al-Awza%27i"Categories:
707 births | 774 deaths | Muslim scholars | Taba at-Tabiin hadith
narrators | People
from Beirut
