The Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence: According to Shi’i Law

This is a translation of one of the best-known academic works of the late Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (1934-80). Written in plain language to introduce beginners to the science of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence, it is the first book in a series, organized in three levels of depth and comprehensiveness, to help readers gradually understand the subject. Originally entitled durus fi ‘ilm al-usul ( Discourses in Jurisprudence ), but normally known as halaqat al-usul ( Courses in Jurisprudence ), the book was a revolutionary attempt to renovate the teaching material and curriculum of Shi’i seminaries throughout the world. Indeed, in many teaching centers it replaced the standard text al-ma’alim , by Shaykh Hasan b. Shahid al-Thani, which had been taught to students of jurisprudence since the 12thcentury AH.