Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Islam Tetkikleri Dergisi, cilt.15, sa.1, ss.99-130, 2025 (Scopus)
In Islamic literary culture, tabaqāt refers to works that systematically compile, in a specific order and sequence, notable individuals who have made significant contributions to a particular science, discipline and governance. The earliest examples of tabaqāt emerged during the second century after the Hegira, reflecting the period’s scientific advancements. These texts vary significantly based on the intellectual background, perspective, and disciplinary expertise of their authors, leading to differences in internal organization, historical narrative, and the inclusion or exclusion of specific figures. The tabaqāt composed in the field of Islamic law (fiqh) were initially authored by scholars associated with the Ahl al-Hadīth movement. Consequently, the identification, tracing, and categorization of jurists across generations in these texts were deeply influenced by the methodologies and perspectives of hadīth and historical scholars. In this context, the portrayal of jurists and the presentation of Islamic law as a domain of knowledge and expertise were shaped by the priorities of the Ahl al-Hadīth. As a result, jurists from the Ahl al-Ra’y school were either excluded or included in ways that downplayed their influence and intellectual contributions. This article will first examine the earliest sources providing information about jurists, focusing on the criteria used to select individuals and categorize them into distinct layers (tabaqāt). It will then explore how scientific developments, particularly those associated with the expansion of Islamic territories and the evolution of Islamic law, were reflected in these texts. Finally, it will analyze how the foundational debates surrounding the emergence of Islamic law were incorporated into the earliest tabaqāt texts. This article aims to examine the narrative in these early texts, which bear witness to the formation of Islamic law and schools, from a historiographical perspective.