Moral Rationalism and Shari'a: Independent rationality in modern Shi'i usul al-Fiqh [Paperback]

Introduction 1 Reason as a source of Shar+ 'a in Sh+ '+ uskl al-fiqh 2 The intelligibility of moral values in Sh+ '+ theological thought 3 The nature of morality, rationality and independent judgments of rational morality in modern Sh+ '+ uskl al-fiqh 4 The nature of morality, rationality and independent judgments of rational morality in modern Sh+ '+ uskl al-fiqh 5 Reassessing the obstacles to independent judgments of rational morality impacting the reading of Shar+ 'a 

Moral Rationalism and Shar+'a is the first attempt at outlining the scope for a theological reading of Shar+'a, based on a critical examination of why 'Adliyya theological ethics have not significantly impacted Sh+'+ readings of Shar+'a.

Within Sh+'+ works of Shar+ 'a legal theory (uskl al-fiqh) there is a theoretical space for reason as an independent source of normativity alongside the Qur
n and the Prophetic tradition. The position holds that humans are capable of understanding moral values independently of revelation. Describing themselves as 'Adliyya (literally the people of Justice), this allows the Sh+ 'a, who describe themselves as 'Adiliyya (literally, the People of Justice), to attribute a substantive rational conception of justice to God, both in terms of His actions and His regulative instructions. Despite the Sh+'+ adoption of this moral rationalism, independent judgments of rational morality play little or no role in the actual inference of Shar+ 'a norms within mainstream contemporary Sh+'+ thought.

Through a close examination of the notion of independent rationality as a source in modern Sh+'+ uskl al-fiqh, the obstacles preventing this moral rationalism from impacting the understandinglN