Al-Waadih Fee Usool ul-Fiqh by Muhammad Hussein Abdullah

1 - The Istihsaan As-Sunnah and Istihsaan Al-Ijmaa’ in reality are not Istihsaan but rather they only reflect the outweighing of evidences. So for instance in regards to the testimony of Khuzaimah then it is evident that it represents the outweighing of the Hadeeth over the Qiyaas. It therefore falls within the remit of outweighing between evidences whilst it has no relationship to Istihsaan except in name. As for Istihsaan Al-Ijmaa’ then this also reflects the outweighing of the Ijmaa’ or the Sunnah over Qiyaas (analogy). Consequently, in respect to the subject of manufacturing it is evident that it represents the outweighing of the Ijmaa’ As-Sahaabah even though manufacturing is proven by the Sunnah. That is because the Messenger of Allah (saw) ordered the manufacturing of a ring and a Minbar. Therefore (the ruling of) manufacturing does not come from Al-Istihsaan.

The same applies to the entering of the bathroom (baths) without evaluating (the amount of) water (usage) or price. That is because it is proven through the Sunnah as this is the practise that took place at the time of the Messenger (saw) accompanied by his knowledge of its occurrence and his Taqreer (approval/consent). It (the ruling) is therefore established by a Daleel and it is the Sunnah At-Taqreeriyah and not Al-Istihsaan.

2 - As for Istihsaan Ad-Daroorah and Maslahah (of necessity and interest) which relates to that which is contrary to the Hukm of Qiyaas due to an obliging Daroorah or a Maslahah that requires the fulfilling of a need. Then in this case the contravention of the Hukm of Qiyaas represents a contravention of the Hukm Ash-Shar’iy established by the Daleel, which is Qiyaas. Taking the Hukm upon the basis of the Daroorah (necessity) or Maslahah (interest) and not upon the basis of the Daleel Ash-Shar’iy and its strength, in effect means referring to the Daroorah and Maslahah and not referring to the Kitaab and the Sunnah. This reference would therefore be contrary to the speech of Allah Ta’Aalaa:

The invalidity of Maslahah is evident in the example of the hired worker because making the public worker liable and the private worker not liable represents an outweighing without anything to outweigh it with, in addition to it being in contravention to the Shar’iy text.