Table of Contents

Preface to the Revised Edition  
Preface to the First Edition 
Introduction 

Part I. Postulates 
Chapter 1. The Theological Postulates 
Chapter 2. The Fiqh Postulates 
Chapter 3. The Lugha-Related Postulates

Part II. The Indicators Of God’s Law 
Chapter 4. The Qur’an And The Sunna 
Chapter 5. The Ijmac 
Chapter 6. The Transmission Of Texts  
Chapter 7. Commands 
Chapter 8. General And Unqualified Expressions 
Chapter 9. Ambiguity, Lucidity, And Diversion To Nonapparent Meaning (Ta’wil) 
Chapter 10. Implication 
Chapter 11. Abrogation  
Chapter 12. Analogy: Definition And Conditions of Validity 
Chapter 13. Analogy: Ascertaining the Occasioning Factor 
Chapter 14. The Defense of Analogy 
Chapter 15. Istidlal and the Invalid Indicators of the Law 

Part III. Mujtahids, Muftis, And Commoners 
Chapter 17. Consultation And Advice: The Mujtahid As Mufti 

Part IV. The Weighing Of Conflicting Indicators  

Epilogue 
Notes  
Index  

About the Author

Bernard G. Weiss is professor of languages and literature at the University of Utah. He is the author of The Spirit of Islamic Law and co-editor of the Brill series Studies in Islamic Law and Society.

Reviews

"The Search for God's Law is all that one might hope for in its depth, its subtlety, and its comprehensive vision."
--Kevin Reinhart, Dartmouth College


"An astonishing achievement of linguistic and analytical skills and dedicated hard work, and a foundational element for the next generation of scholars in this field."--Norman Calder, University of Manchester


"It is certainly not every day that something significant happens in the field [of Islamic jurisprudence]. In The Search for God's Law that significant something has happened."--Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo, International Institute of Islamic Thought