Buhârî’nin el-Câmi‘u’s-Sahîh’inde Kıyasın Teorik ve Pratik Boyutları: Reddi mi, Sınırlı Kabulü mü?
The Theoretical and Practical Dimensions of Qiyās in al-Bukhārī’s al-Jāmi‘ al-Sahīh: Between Rejection and Limited Acceptance

Summary/Abstract: Purpose: This study examines Imām al-Bukhārī’s approach to qiyās (analogical reasoning) within the framework of his famous work, al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ. Commentators and researchers have disagreed regarding his approach to qiyās. Those who argue that he rejected qiyās only in a limited sense have restricted or reinterpreted the anti-qiyās chapter headings in Kitāb al-Iʿtiṣām, a section of al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ. Furthermore, some have supported this view by claiming that Bukhārī practically employed qiyās in ten specific issues. On the other hand, those who maintain that he rejected qiyās have relied primarily on Bukhārī’s statements in al-Iʿtiṣām and have generally not discussed the cases in which he allegedly employed qiyās. According to proponents of this view, attributing qiyās to Bukhārī largely stems from sectarian presuppositions. In addition to his statements concerning qiyās in al-Iʿtiṣām, whether he actually resorted to qiyās in legally oriented chapters constitutes an important criterion for understanding his approach. However, in cases where he is alleged to have employed qiyās, the extent to which his compositional methodology—known in the literature as “Bukhārī’s conventions” and incorporating hadith–fiqh alternatives to qiyās—is taken into consideration becomes critically important. Indeed, in many instances where he is thought to have employed qiyās, his alternative practices may become more prominent. Accordingly, the central question of this study is whether conclusions regarding Bukhārī’s use of qiyās are based merely on discrepancies between chapter headings and hadith content or on a comprehensive analysis that also considers his conventions and methodology. Thus, this study aims to present a comprehensive and objective assessment of his approach to qiyās on both theoretical and practical levels. Method: Employing a qualitative approach, this study utilizes document analysis to examine Imām al-Bukhārī’s understanding of qiyās through the chapter headings in al-Iʿtiṣām and the ten issues advanced by contemporary researchers as evidence for his use of qiyās, while taking his conventions and compositional methodology into account. The views of scholars who argue that Bukhārī accepted qiyās and those who maintain that he rejected it were comparatively examined, and the evidence underlying these positions—namely relevant narrations, chapter headings, and commentaries—was comprehensively evaluated at both theoretical and practical levels. Findings: The findings indicate that Bukhārī systematically criticizes qiyās through the chapter headings he constructed in al-Iʿtiṣām. Interpretations limiting his rejection of qiyās sometimes partially align with the context of the chapter headings and texts; however, most rely on weak evidence, while some fail to sufficiently consider the wording and context of the chapter headings and hadiths. In the ten issues where Bukhārī is claimed to have practically employed qiyās, practices known in the literature as “Bukhārī’s conventions” appear to have been largely overlooked. Among these issues, only one may plausibly leave room for qiyās. Therefore, the conclusion that Bukhārī consciously and consistently rejected qiyās emerges more strongly both theoretically and practically. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Bukhārī’s approach to qiyās cannot be evaluated solely through the compatibility between chapter headings and hadiths. Accordingly, it proposes a holistic reading that takes his hadith and legal methodology into account. By drawing attention to the allusive style and contextual emphasis frequently employed in his work, this study argues that scholarship on Bukhārī should move beyond purely literal approaches. This perspective provides a strong foundation for future studies on al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ centered on the author’s methodology.

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