Errors in Attributing Jurisprudential Opinions: A Foundational and Applied Study 10.35781/1637-000-160-002

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of erroneous attribution of jurisprudential opinions to Islamic legal schools and jurists — a recurring issue in fiqh literature and comparative studies that leads to flawed scholarly and practical conclusions. Employing foundational and applied methodologies, the study defines the concept and parameters of attributing fiqhi opinions, then identifies and classifies the causes of such errors into three categories: source-related causes, researcher methodology causes, and causes inherent to the nature of fiqh material. It further analyzes the scholarly and practical consequences of these errors — including their impact on fatwa, adjudication, codification, and education — and concludes with seven methodological guidelines for verifying attributions, supported by four applied models correcting common misattributions across various jurisprudential domains. Keywords: Error, Attribution, Juristic Opinion, Foundational, Applied.