Al-Madkhal ila Dirasa al-Fiqh al-Islami المدخل إلى دراسة الفقه الإسلامي

Overview of Al-Madkhal ilā Dirāsat al-Fiqh al-Islāmī

المدخل إلى دراسة الفقه الإسلامي

Al-Madkhal ilā Dirāsat al-Fiqh al-Islāmī (“Introduction to the Study of Islamic Jurisprudence”) by Shaykh Muḥammad Ashraf al-Raḥmān al-Chatgāmī, a prominent South Asian scholar from Chittagong, is a comprehensive introductory manual designed for students of Islamic knowledge (ṭullāb al-ʿilm).

The book provides a structured framework for understanding the development of Islamic sacred knowledge, the classification of its major disciplines, and the traditional scholarly approach to studying Islamic jurisprudence, with particular attention to the Hanafi and broader Sunni intellectual traditions.

A central concept discussed by the author is the classical three-fold understanding of fiqh: Fiqh al-Akbar, Fiqh al-Awsaṭ, and Fiqh al-Aṣghar. Fiqh al-Akbar refers to the deeper understanding of Islamic creed and theology (ʿaqīdah), encompassing fundamental beliefs concerning Allah, prophethood, revelation, and the Hereafter. Fiqh al-Awsaṭ concerns the inner dimensions of religious life, including spiritual purification, ethics, character, and the cultivation of virtues. Fiqh al-Aṣghar refers to the practical legal sciences dealing with the rulings governing acts of worship, transactions, family matters, and other aspects of daily life.

The author explains that these three dimensions are interconnected rather than isolated fields. A comprehensive understanding of Islam requires sound belief, purification of the heart and character, and adherence to the practical rulings of the Sharīʿah.

The book also surveys the historical development of Islamic jurisprudence, beginning with the Prophetic era and proceeding through the periods of the Companions and Tābiʿūn, the development and codification of the major Sunni schools, and the subsequent scholarly tradition. It provides students with a broader perspective on how Islamic legal knowledge developed and how the classical scholarly heritage should be approached. The author stresses that a student of sacred knowledge cannot be a well-rounded faqīh (jurist) by focusing solely on legal rulings (Fiqh al-Asghar) while neglecting the foundational creed (Fiqh al-Akbar) or inner spiritual purification (Fiqh al-Awsat). All three branches form an integrated whole that preserves both the external compliance and internal spiritual vitality of Islamic practice.

As an introductory work, Al-Madkhal ilā Dirāsat al-Fiqh al-Islāmī is particularly useful for students seeking to understand the structure, terminology, history, and interconnected disciplines of traditional Islamic learning before undertaking more specialized study.