Uṣūl al-sunna: The Tenets of Islamic Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy According to the Traditionalists (Ahl al-ḥadīth)

This chapter explores the meaning of uṣūl al-sunna in pre-classical and early classical period and its interrelation with the conceptual development of the term “uṣūl” during this period, within larger discussions on the use of the same. The term uṣūl was used in multiple Islamic intellectual traditions by diverse groups of the time. However, this study argues that the different renderings of the term had a common purpose of representing orthodoxy and the principles of establishing normativity in Islam. Any use of uṣūl entails a claim of representing the correct understanding of Islam to which everyone should adhere, or a normative and common role in the topics to which this concept is attached. The concept of uṣūl al-sunna, in this regard, was not an exception. This term was employed by the traditionalists, also known as ahl al-hadīth, to show the fundamental principles of “true Islam” based on adhering to the corpus of sunna embodied in hadīth texts that passed their chain-based criteria of authenticity. In order to demonstrate the nature of this relationship, I will begin my analysis by exploring the lexical meaning of the word uṣūl and the relationship between uṣūl and furū’. This is followed by an examination of the different renderings of the term uṣūl in various religious sciences. Lastly, I will deal with the concept of uṣūl al-sunna in detail as it appeared in the relevant literature.