An Analytical Study of Averroes’ Thoughts about Jurisprudence and Knowledge

ابن رشد کےفقہی و علمی افکار کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Abstract

Islam encourages knowledge. The early revelation of Almighty on his Last Prophet (PBUH) was about it.  Prophet Muhammad told that Allah, the Exalted, bestows jurisprudence on whomsoever He intends good. Averroes (1126 - 1198), a great Muslim Scholasr, desired that Muslim Scholarship should continue research in every field. Muslim World knows him as a great jurist through his comparative study of jurists. He is having the position of the Great Imam in Islamic Jurisprudence. Like other jurists, he had liberal comprehension of the revealed text and he guided the students in adopting the virtues of independent reasoning, Ijtihad, by an Islamic law expert. He searched in every school of thought, noted their rules and examined them comparatively.  As a theologian, he was closed to the Hanbali School and liked literal meanings of the text for common people. He was in favor of struggle, Jihad, toward righteousness for the rule of Shari’a. He was against the usuary and liked interest free economy obeying the Lord’s order. He was also in favor of women and minorities’ rights according to the Shari'a. He tried his best for the educational reforms. He was so balanced that he did not underestimate the value of any academic field. He presented his work using the high standards of research methodology.