al-Shīrāzī

Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAlī al-Shīrāzī (; 1003–1083) was a prominent Persian jurisconsult, legal theoretician, theologian, debater and muhaqqiq (researcher). He was one of the leading scholars of Shafiʿi jurisprudence in the eleventh century and arguably the most prolific writer of Islamic legal literature.

He became the second teacher after succeeding Ibn al-Sabbagh at the Nizamiyya of Baghdad, which was built in his honour by the vizier (minister) of the Seljuk Empire Nizam al-Mulk.

He acquired the status of a mujtahid in the field of fiqh and usul al-fiqh. The contemporary muhaddithun (hadith specialists) also considered him as their Imam. Likewise, he was respected and enjoyed a high status among the mutakallimun (practitioners of kalam) and Sufis.

He was closely associated with the eminent Sufis of his time like Abu Nasr ibn al-Qushayri (d. 514/1120), the son of al-Qushayri (d. 465/1072).

Abu Bakr al-Shashi said: "Abu Ishaq is Allah's proof on the leading scholars of the time." Al-Muwaffaq al-Hanafi said: "Abu Ishaq is the Amir al-Mu'minin (Prince of the Believers) from among the fuqaha' (jurists)." The Azhari scholar 'Ali Jum'a, an inheritor of al-Bajuri's teachings, calls him the "shaykh of the fuqaha' of his era."

Scholarly life Position Upon his graduation from his mentors. He remained most of his lifetime in Baghdad and showcased his skills and intelligence in sacred law replacing himself as the mufti of the Muslim Ummah (Islamic community) in his time. Once, after travelling from Baghdad to Nishapur, Abu Ishaq is said to have had many students.

Fighting against immorality The chief of the Hanbali faction, Abu Ja'far, and the chief of the Shafi'i faction, Abu Ishaq, joined forces for a common cause and battled against the rise of immorality, which was thought to be the cause of the great flood in 467/1071. Energised by their shaykhs, the Hanbalis assembled in the al-Qasr mosque and invited Abu Ishaq and his followers to fight alongside them against prostitution, interest charges, and wine-drinking. The two Shaykhs demanded al-Qa'im, the caliph, to demolish the brothels and eradicate the other customs practiced by the locals. A letter advising the Seljuk Sultan of this demand was also dispatched at the same time.

Students He had many students, the most famous of whom are: Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, al-Hariri of Basra, Ibn 'Aqil, Abu al-Walid al-Baji, Fakhr al-Islam Abu Bakr al-Shashi al-Qaffal (d. 507/1113), and Abu al-Qasim ibn al-Samarqandi al-Dimashqi (d. 536/1142).

Death He died in Baghdad in 476 AH (1083–1084 AD), and the 'Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadi (d. 487/1094) attended his funeral. On his death, his pupils sat in solemn mourning in the Nizamiyya, and after that ceremony, Mu'ayyid al-Mulk, son of Nizam al-Mulk, appointed Abu Sa'd al-Mutwalli to the vacant place, but when Nizām al-Mulk heard of it, he wrote to disapprove of that nomination, adding that the college should be shut up during a year, on account of Abu Ishaq's death; he then blamed the person who had undertaken to fill his place, and ordered the sheikh Abu Nasr ibn al-Sabbagh to profess in his stead.

“Indeed, the Ashʿarīs are the people of the Sunnah and the defenders of the Sharia, who rose up to respond to the innovators from the Qadariyah, the Rafida and others so whoever attacks them has attacked the Sunnis and when a matter involving criticism of Ashʿarīs is brought to the attention of those responsible for Muslim affairs, it is obligatory for them to discipline the individual in a manner that deters everyone.”

Dispute Following the arrival of Ibn al-Qushayri (son of al-Qushayri) in 469/1076 to teach at the Nizamiyya there had been a series of religious riots in Baghdad in 469–70/1076–77 between Hanbalis and Shafi'is. Ibn al-Qushayri denigrated the Hanbalis when he was there, accusing them of anthropomorphism in their discourse with Allah. Leading Nizamiyya scholar Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi backed Ibn al-Qushayri. He wrote to Nizam al-Mulk, complaining about the Hanbalis and requesting assistance. Eventually, Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi succeeded in getting Abu Ja'far Ibn Abi Musa arrested.

, one of the earliest works in relation to Usul al-Fiqh specifically in the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence. This work was contemporaneous to major developments in post-Shafi'i usul, such as the writings of al-Juwayni, with whom he apparently differed on a number of points. , a summary of Ash'ari creed with a combination of textual and kalami proofs. , gives the lives of the jurists among the Sahaba (companions of the Prophet), and the Tabi'in (followers of the companions of the Prophet) and those of the founders of schools and their disciples. , a book in 'ilm al-khilāf (the science of juridical disagreement). Al-Ma'una fi al-Jadal .