Masaa-il al-Khilaaf fi Usool al-Fiqh by Al-Qadi as-Saymari (439H)

Masa'il al-Khilaaf fi Usul al-fiqh (Issues of Disagreement in the Principles of Jurisprudence) by Al-Qadi as-Saymari

This book is one of the most important rare books on the principles of jurisprudence, and the author was one of the earliest jurists on this field. He is Abu Abdullah As-Saymari, the sheikh of the Hanafi School in his time, as he lived in the second half of the fourth century AH until the first half of the fifth century AH. This is one of the best and oldest works on Hanafi principles, and he has included many disputed problems in it so that his readers can become acquainted with the most essential subjects in jurisprudence with the least amount of effort and the quickest path.

This book deserves the attention of researchers in the study of jurisprudential principles in general, whether for Hanafis, Hanbalis, or Shafi'is.

The book’s author is the jurist judge Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Jaafar, Abu Abdullah As-Saymari (351 - 436 AH), a Baghdad Hanafi master. He was born in Saimar (Khuzestan) and served as the judge of Al-Mada’in and the province of Al-Karkh until his death in Baghdad.

Abu Bakr al-Khatib said about him: “He was well-spoken and well-insighted.” He said, “He was truthful, sharp in mind, good-natured, respectful of scholars.” Ibn al-Athir described him as “the master of Abu Hanifa’s companions in his time.”

According to Ibn al-Imad al-Hanbali, “He was a trustworthy and a scholar of Hadith.” In his Biography, Imam adh-Dhahabi described him as “The master of al-Hanafiyyah, the scholar of Hadith.”