Shāfiʿī school of jurisprudence: Circulation and mobility across the Indian ocean region

Abstract

In the history, it is evident that Islamic jurisprudence has been introduced and propagated in different corners of the world by the renowned scholars and rulers. This paper attempts to analyze the spread of Shāfiʿī School of jurisprudence across the Indian Ocean regions during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  Even today, one can see the strong influence of Shāfiʿī School of jurisprudence across these littorals. Ḥaḍramī Sayyid and trade Diasporas are decisive in the spread and dominance of Shāfiʿī School of jurisprudence in the Indian Ocean regions. Predominance of Shāfiʿī School of jurisprudence in these regions led to the circulation of religious texts such as Fatḥ al-Muʿīn and other sacred manuscript sallied with Shāfiʿī School. The proposed paper endeavors to examine the influence of Shāfiʿī School of jurisprudence on Malabar Muslims, further the study scrutinize the predominant religious texts which are circulated in these regions. In addition, this paper also tries to unfold the role of Ḥaḍramī Sayyids in making social changes and cultural reformation in the life of Mappilas