Jurisprudential Issues with a Single Juridical Opinion (Wajh Wahid) according to the Shafi'i School: A Comparative Study of the Book " Al-Bayan" by Al-Imrani (d. 558 AH) in the Book of Marriage

Abstract

This research examines the jurisprudential issues in which a "Single Opinion" (Wajh Wahid) was recorded within the Shafi'i school, specifically through the book "Al-Bayan" by al-Imrani in the "Book of Marriage" (Kitab al-Nikah), conducted as a comparative jurisprudential study.​The research begins by introducing the personal and scholarly life of Imam al-Imrani, followed by a clarification of the meaning of "Al-Wajh" (The Face/Opinion): which represents the views and deductions derived by Shafi'i jurists in light of the Imam’s principles and rules to become an integral part of his school. It also identifies the "Authors of the Faces" (Ashab al-Wujuh), a term representing a more specific understanding than the general term "Companions" (Al-Ashab), as every "Author of a Face" is considered a "Companion," but not every "Companion" is an "Author of a Face."​Furthermore, the study explains the essential terminology of the Shafi'i school that every student of knowledge must master. It then delves into the specific issues of the research within the "Book of Marriage" by employing a Comparative Jurisprudence (Al-Fiqh al-Muqaran) methodology to analyze these opinions and contrast them with other Islamic legal schools (Madhahib). These comparisons result in a specialized treatment of complex marriage-related matters, such as: the validity of a marriage contract conducted in a language other than Arabic for those unable to speak it; the ruling when spouses disagree on the remaining portion of the male organ after amputation (Al-Jabb) to prevent injustice and harm; and the legal characterization (Takyif) regarding the status of the marriage—whether it remains valid or is dissolved—following the conversion of one spouse to Islam and the death of the other while in polytheism. The research’s focus on issues characterized by a single recorded opinion does not imply a weakness in the school’s deductions; rather, it justifies the robustness of the jurisprudential "Face" and its reliance on established, firm evidence.