شرح صحیح مسلم میں امام نووی کے اصولی مصادر ِاستدلال کا مطالعاتی جائزہ

An Analytical Study of Imam al-Nawawī’s Methodological Sources of Legal Reasoning in Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

Abstract

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim occupies a central position among the canonical collections of ḥadīth due to the strength of its chains of transmission, textual precision, and systematic arrangement. Among its most authoritative commentaries, Imam al-Nawawī’s Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim stands out for integrating rigorous ḥadīth analysis with principled juristic reasoning. Despite its scholarly prominence, the methodological foundations of Imam al-Nawawī’s legal reasoning have not been sufficiently examined in contemporary academic discourse. This research addresses this gap by analyzing the principles and evidentiary sources that shape Imam al-Nawawī’s interpretive approach and evaluating their relevance for resolving modern juristic challenges.

The study aims to identify the primary sources of inference employed by Imam al-Nawawī, including the Qurʾān, Sunnah, consensus (ijmāʿ), analogical reasoning (qiyās), juristic preference (istiḥsān), public interest (maṣlaḥah), and preventive principles (sadd al-dharaʾiʿ). A qualitative textual analysis was conducted on selected representative passages from Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim using inductive and comparative methods. Approximately thirty analytical examples were examined to determine patterns of legal reasoning and methodological consistency.

The findings reveal that Imam al-Nawawī harmonizes textual evidences with legal principles, prioritizes comprehensive evidence assessment, and maintains a balanced approach between literal interpretation and higher objectives of Sharīʿah. His methodology demonstrates flexibility without compromising textual authority. The study concludes that Imam al-Nawawī’s principled framework provides a reliable model for contemporary fiqh deliberations, particularly in addressing complex and emerging legal issues within an integrated juristic paradigm.