Zahiri School

Overview

A school of Islamic jurisprudence that relies exclusively on the apparent (zahir) meaning of the Quran and hadith, rejecting analogical reasoning (qiyas), juristic preference (istihsan), and other forms of legal reasoning based on opinion. Founded by Dawud al-Zahiri (815-884 CE) and later championed by Ibn Hazm of Cordoba (994-1064 CE). While no longer widely followed as a madhab, Zahiri principles have influenced modern Islamic legal thought and some contemporary scholars draw on Zahiri methodology.

Key Beliefs

• Exclusive reliance on the apparent meaning of texts
• Complete rejection of analogical reasoning (qiyas)
• Rejection of taqlid (following scholarly authority without evidence)
• Strict literalism in deriving legal rulings
• Every Muslim capable of reading texts can derive rulings directly