The Ẓāhirī (Exoteric) Interpretation of the Sunnah
by Hana Arisesa
In the islamic history, there are many scholars who have contributed to Islamic knowledge on various aspects. At this time, this ummah have already recognized four leading major schools of thoughts (Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʽī, Hanbalī madhhab) that are the reference of the ummah especially in matters of jurisprudence. However, Islamic history has recorded several other schools of thought, which have their own characteristics and patterns, among which the prominent ones are the Tsaurī, Laitsī, and Ẓāhirī schools.
Among these three schools, the Tsaurī and Laitsī madhhab has been lost throughout its islamic history. This is due to various factors such as the absence of adherents who spread their madhhab and due to competition and replacement by the mainstream schools. The reference books madhhab were not many and influential and widely studied, only excerps from others islamic scholar in their books. But it's different with the Ẓāhirī madhhab, the uniqueness of their methodology in understanding of nash using Exoteric Interpretation lead interest of others scholar to criticize.
Discussing Ẓāhirī madhhab and their unique methodology cannot be separated with discussion about Abū Sulaymān Dawūd al-Ẓāhirī’s and Ibn Hazm’s thought, because they are the most prominent scholars of this madhhab. Abū Sulaymān Dawūd al-Ẓāhirī (d. 270 H. / 883) is founder of this madhhab however the mort influence scholar of this madhhab is Ibn Hazm who build and foundation of the madhhab. In the modern day, Ibn Hazm (d. 456/1064) might be one of the i who has been the subject of the most in-depth research. His views on various subjects in several fields became the subject of numerous criticism: academic theses and dissertations, books, and papers. Moreover, His books which portrayed his thought still preserve until today. This article will discuss about the Ẓāhirī (Exoteric) Interpretation of the Sunnah in general and particular meaning through Ibn Hazm’s thought.
Brief meaning of the Ẓāhirī and Sunnah
Before examining about Ibn Hazm's thought about the sunnah, it is important to give the definition about Ẓāhirī (Exoteric) Interpretation, because this the most unique characteristic of this madhhab. Citing Ignaz Goldziher on “The Ẓāhirīs. Their Doctrine and their History. A Contribution to the History of Islamic Theology”, Fierro describes Ẓāhirī methodology is the doctrine which holds that the texts of the revelation should be understood in their literal, external, or apparent meaning without using deductive techniques like reasoning by analogy (Fierro, 2018). Another definition is regarding the word “Ẓāhir” which is Arabic word denotes a verse from the Qur'an or a prophetic tradition's evident, quick, and unambiguous meaning (Kaddouri, 2013). The second important definition is about sunnah. The sunnah has different in in different contexts such as the language language, technical, in law (Fiqh), and in jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) definitions. However, in this article the sunnah will be defined by literal meaning as a normative way of acting, conduct, practice, usage, rule, course, institution and bbehavior (Hasan, 2000). Sometimes, the sunnah will be defined similar to hadist.
Foundation of the Ẓāhirī (Exoteric) Interpretation
Studying the trajectory of the Ẓāhirī madhhab must be dated back to the report about the life and doctrines of Dāwūd al-Ẓāhirī as a founder of this madhhab. Lack biographical source of him is one of the difficulties to understand his comprehensive methodology. However, he is described as a scholar who possessed vast knowledge, excelled in reasoning and argumentaion and has many followers. (Osman, 1978). Settled in Baghdad which was a vibrant place where competing theological, legal, and political views were debated, and where plenty of scholars offered their knowledge to interested students. He life in time of prominent hadith scholar Ibn Hanbal. However, he is not categorized as scholar of hadith in that time (Ahl al-Ḥadīth) rather that similar to the life of Ahl al-Ra’y such as abu Hanifah. Dāwūd is also described as having been gifted in disputation and argument and had several debate to other scholars at that times. The most notable his thought is his rejection on qiyās, raʾy, istiḥsān, and taqlīd, and held the principle of al-ibāḥah al-aṣliyyah. Not only reject al-qiyās al-khafī, but also according to Tāj al-Dīn al-Subkī (d. 771/1370), he rejects all kinds of qiyās although he did not say so in an explicit and unambiguous way. Some quote from him as follows: “judging on the basis of qiyās is not sound, and adhering to istiḥsān is not permitted”. According to al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī (d. 463/1071), he is the first scholar who known strictly adherence to the textual and reject qiyas (Osman, 1978). Unfortunately, Dawud’s works do not reach us today.
It is generally known that in the era of foundation of early Islamic schools of thought there are two approach Ahl al-Raʾy and the Ahl al-Ḥadīth. However, some islamic scholar added one as Ahl Ẓāhir which accustomed to Dawud. The interpretation of literal meaning is not something new at all. This can be referred back to the era of the Prophet. The most famous example about fighting Banū Qurayẓah. The Prophet Muḥammad said to his companions ““Do not pray the afternoon prayer except in the abode of the Banū Qurayẓah”. (Bukhari). The companions of the Prophet differed in carrying out this command. Some interpret according to the literal text and some of them based on the objectivity of content. However, after being consulted by the prophet about this dispute, the prophet did not blame these two opinions. This is the clear evidence about legitimation of the literal understanding of the nash sunnah in the era of the prophet. However, later on the mainstream scholar prefer to the opinion who use objective reason in contrast with the literal group.
The Ẓāhirī interpretation has gained its position in 5th century by Ibn Hazm. He is the most notable and supporter of this madhhab. The intellectual works has been acknowledged by the Islamic scholars. He write many books showing his position on defending the Ẓāhirī (Exoteric) Interpretation such as al-Iḥkām (a work of uṣūl) and al-Muḥallā (a work of furūʿ ) which represent the fundamental principles of the Ẓāhirī methodology (Kaddouri, 2013). In accordance with the views of the founder of Ẓāhirī Madhab, Ibn Hazm argues that the main Islamic source are The Qur'an and the Sahih Hadith similar to other schools. However, his interpretation of these sources has some differences with others. The sacred book must be comprehended textually. The Quran and the sunnah must be treated without using majāz (metaphorical interpretation), unless it is a well-known one supported by other texts, ijma, sensory details, or the language from whence the text was produced (Arafat, 2017). The sunnah also threated as essence the content of the hadith itself (Zuhri, 2021). The interpretive tools, such as qiyas, which are frequently viewed as rational tools has been criticized by Ibn Hazm, due to their incoherence and illogical nature. He demonstrates that logical similarity presumptions fall short of comprehending the complexity and intents of revelation by using educational materials and analogical instruments. Ibn Hazm uses the texts and analogical tools of schools to prove that rational assumptions of similarity fail to understand the complexity and intentions of revelation (Badawi, 2018).
The Ẓāhirī (Exoteric) Interpretation in Modern Days
It seems that Ibn Hazm's textual view has become an alternative to the two main views that exist today, Ahl al-Raʾy and the Ahl al-Ḥadīth. The understanding Ibn Hazm’s thought of the hadith and ignoring the role of qiyas is in between the two schools. The extensive debate and refutation against the ahl al-hadith which represent with Maliki madhhab in the Andalusia, one of the factors that Ibn Hazm tend to be supporter of the Ẓāhirī madhhab. In other side, the reluctance of using qiyas as extensively practices of ahl Ra’y, another factor to attack the invalidity of reasoning. Ibn Hazm tried to analyze and defend the hadith notion in general. As a result, even though the idea of hadith was well-established long before his time, Ibn Hazm did not just exploit it to further his school of thought but also tried to redefine or reconceptualize the understandings of it (Zuhri, 2021).
Although in terms of Ilm hadith, Ibn Hazm is one of the figures in mastering the science of hadith, but there are some opinions that contrary with the majority of scholars. For example, in the issue of the interdiction of singing and playing music and selling musical instruments. Ibn Hazm was one of the pioneer scholars in allowing music and buying and selling musical instruments, which investigated the opinion of the majority of earlier scholars. Ibn Hazm contends that there is no evidence that prohibits the buying and selling of these musical instruments, and that the basic law of listening to music is acceptable until there is a clear statement to the contrary. The stronger evidence in the prohibition of music in hadith narrated by Bukhari as a mu’allaq Hadeeth, The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Among my ummah there will be people who will regard as permissible adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments.” Ibn Hazm reject using this hadith due to invalidity. However, others prominent scholar in hadith has different opinion against Ibn Hazm. The opinion of Ibn Hazm on this issue is one of the major reasons from the several scholars to give the permissible to music, different from the Majority of Scholars.
The uniqueness of the Ẓāhirī methodology and thought attract many scholars, both Islamic scholars and Western scholars, to analyze, study, dan investigate. Relying on their methodology, often the end product of the law is different from the mainstream scholars. One of the modern scholars who widely affected by the Ẓāhirī thought is Muhammad Asad (formerly Leopold Weiss) (d. 1412/1992). It's obvious that Asad identifies with Zahiri’s idea. He refers to his strategy similar to “Ẓāhirī outlook” or “Ẓāhirī viewpoint”." Asad draws parallels between his and Ibn Hazm views on the nature and use of sharī‘a (Linnhoff, 2021). Several western scholars also presented work about Ibn Hazm in detail such as Ignaz Goldziher, the prominent leading western scholar for islamic studies.
Conclusion
Although not a major madhhab in Islamic scholarship, the Ẓāhirī interpretation has become an interesting islamic discourse. Not only because of the various kinds of book relics that reflect the establishment of this madhhab, many have reached the present day, but also the taking of laws and legal results that are much different from the majority of scholars are interesting objects of research. Textual interpretation and rejection of qiyas are one of the main characteristics of this thought. In the modern era, the views of the Zahiri received attention from various scholars to see the possibility of solving contemporary Islamic problems that occurred.
Bibliography
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