A Study of Orientalists’ Theories about Imām al-Zuhrī

دراسة نظريات المستشرقين حول الإمام الزهري

Abstract

This study dealt with the Orientalists’ theories about Imām al-Zuhrī (d. 124/742), who contributed to the transmission and codification of the Prophetic Sunnah. The Muhaddithūn rely on his narrations to record in their compilations. Fuqahā’a infers from them in the Islamic provisions. It reveals from the Orientalists’ studies that Ignaz Goldziher (d. 1339/1921) sees him as a fabricator of hadiths to satisfy the Umayyad’s. He claimed that Imām al-Zuhrī was exploiting his position among the scholars and confirming their religious matters, such as compelling the Syrians to visit the Baitu’l-Maqdis instead of the Two Holy Mosques. G. H. A. Juynboll (d. 1431/2010) doubted his historical position that al-Zuhrī is a common name and was fabricated by the Muhaddithūn in different Tabaqāt. Moreover, he believes that Imām Mālik (d. 179/795) was more aware of that because whenever he records his narrations, he refers to him on Ibn Shihāb. It proved from the examination of Goldziher and Juynboll charges on Imām al-Zuhrī, and his narrations that al-Zuhrī is related to a large family in the Hijāz and for which Ibn Shihāb was famous. He was a scholar of hadiths, and he did not fabricate hadiths as Goldziher claimed. Imām Mālik did not doubt about the Isnāds in which he had quoted Haddathanī al-Zuhrī, or Akhbranī al-Zuhrī, as Juynboll understood from studying the narration transmitted by Ahmad b. Hanbal (d. 241/855) in his book “al-‘Ilal wa Marifatu’r-Rijāl”. The analytical method is followed in discussing the theories of the Orientalists.