In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Did the science of Usool Fiqh exist in the time of the Companions?

By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen may Allah have mercy on him

 The shaykh mentioned this point of benefit in his explanation of the poem “al-Waraqaat” under lines 9-10.

“We say yes, but it was not known as it is today. Meaning, that it was not compiled and made into chapters in the time of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them). This was the same with many issues regarding knowledge; they were not categorized and made into books in the time of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

For example, we do not find in the time of the companions (things like) the conditions of salah, wudoo, and ghusl. We do not find that they existed. However, Allah made it easy for the scholars and gave them success to follow these affairs and compile them into categories. They did this to make knowledge easy for everyone. So Usool Fiqh was known and found in the time of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Usool Fiqh is also found in the Noble Qur’an and as well as in the Sunnah…

However, it was recorded, compiled and put together until it became its own independent science. This came in later times and it was said that the first to do this was Imaam Shaafi’ee (204 AH).”

Translated by: Michael AbdusSalaam Deonarain

الفقير الى الله