Awza'i School Of Thought And Its Followers In The Medieval Islamic World: A Historical And Demographic Study

Abstract

This paper presents a historical and analytical investigation of the Awza'i school of jurisprudence, a prominent Muslim legal tradition. Founded by Imam al-Awza'i, a contemporary of esteemed jurists Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Abu Jafar Sadiq, this school of thought emerged in Syria, where it was the dominant religious tradition. The Awza'i school later spread to the Iberian Peninsula, specifically Andalusia (present-day Spain, Portugal, and parts of France), where it persisted for approximately seventy years. However, its influence waned with the adoption of the Maliki School of thought by the ruling elite, leading to its eventual decline and replacement by the Shafi'i school of thought in Syria after 300 years. Despite its diminished presence, remnants of the Awza'i school's teachings can be found in the works of various jurists, often cited in support or refutation. This study aims to reconstruct the history of the Awza'i school and identify its followers through a thorough examination of historical records.