The importance of rhetoric in deriving legal rulings according to Islamic jurists

Abstract

This study examines the importance of rhetoric (Arabic balāghah) in deriving legal rulings according to Islamic jurists, considering it a fundamental tool for understanding the semantic and contextual dimensions of Qur’anic and Prophetic texts. Juristic reasoning cannot be properly achieved without a deep awareness of rhetorical devices that reveal subtle meanings and clarify the objectives of legal discourse. The research highlights the close relationship between jurisprudence and rhetoric by reviewing classical scholarly perspectives on the role of rhetoric within Islamic sciences and by demonstrating its influence on interpreting linguistic indications, expressions, and structures. Employing a descriptive and analytical methodology, the study also presents applied juristic examples that illustrate how differences in legal rulings often stem from divergent rhetorical interpretations of texts, particularly concerning literal and metaphorical meanings, particles of speech, and contextual structure. The study concludes that rhetoric is not merely a supplementary discipline for jurists, but a methodological and legal necessity for sound interpretation, disciplined ijtihād, and the realization of the objectives of Islamic law.