The Manuscript Kitab al-Talaq by Shaykh Sharf al-Din Dihlawi: An Analytical Study of Ijtihadi Inference and Usuli Reasoning

مخطوطہ کتاب الطلاق از شیخ شرف الدین دہلویؒ: اجتہادی استنباط و اصولی استدلال کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Abstract

This research article offers an analytical exploration of the manuscript Kitab al-Talaq authored by Shaykh Abu Sa‘id Muhammad Sharf al-Din Dihlawi, a prominent South Asian scholar of the Ahl al-Hadith tradition. The study highlights his juristic reasoning and methodological deductions concerning the highly debated issue of divorce. While the mainstream Ahl al-Hadith school typically regards three divorces in one sitting as one, Dihlawi diverges from this dominant position and presents an independent, well-argued view rooted in Qur’anic exegesis, Hadith evaluation, linguistic analysis, and juristic precedents. The research examines how Dihlawi critiques certain traditions, assesses their textual and historical dimensions, and develops a bold interpretative framework that prioritizes contextual and linguistic evidence. He interprets the Qur’anic verse ﴿الطلاق مرتان فإمساك بمعروف أو تسریح بإحسان﴾ by emphasizing the sequential nature of divorce rulings and the role of reconciliation until the third pronouncement. Through his engagement with the principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh), rational inquiry, and critical evaluation of earlier jurists, Dihlawi demonstrates intellectual independence and academic integrity. This article not only sheds light on an understudied manuscript but also emphasizes the richness of South Asian Islamic scholarship and its contribution to legal debates. Ultimately, the study aims to introduce this important text to contemporary scholarship and to highlight its relevance in addressing ongoing juristic and social discussions regarding divorce.