The truth is that Al-Istishaab does not represent a Daleel upon the Hukm because the Daleel is that which the Hukm for a matter or an action is taken from. The Hukm is either Fard, Mandoob, Mubaah, Makrooh or Haraam and no Hukm is taken from Al-Istishaab. Rather Al-Istishaab means the remaining or continuance of the Hukm that had been established by an evidence previously which was not in origin Al-Istishaab. That is because Al-Istishaab doesn’t establish a new Hukm but rather the previous Hukm established by its legitimately recognised (Mu’tabar) Daleel continues by way of Istishaab.

Therefore, it doesn’t in itself represent a Daleel for Fiqh or a Masdar (source) from which Ahkaam are extracted. It rather only represents a Qareenah (linkage) for the continuation of the previous Hukm that had (already) been established by the Daleel.

Consequently, Al-Istishaab is not a Daleel Shar’iy; meaning a Masdar (source) from the Masaadir of the legislation in Islaam. Rather, it is a Qaa’idah Shar’iyah (principle) that the Mujtahid utilises and relies upon when deducing some of the Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah just like the principle: ‘There is no harming and no reciprocation of harm’.

And this principle: ‘Qaa’idah Al-Istishaab’ is deduced from the Adillah Ash-Shar’iyah that we have mentioned in the section related to the Hujjiyah (proof of validity) of Al-Istishaab.

Considering Al-Istishaab to be a Daleel like Ijmaa’ As-Sahaabah or Al-Qiyaas represents an overstepping of bounds that has no justification for it as it has not been proven or established to be a Daleel Shar’iy (i.e. source of evidence) by the Kitaab nor the Sunnah.