Abstract
<jats:p>The Sharḥ (Commentary) Method in Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz by Imam Rāfiʿī Muhammad b. ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Rāfiʿī (d. 623/1226) was one of the prominent Shāfiʿī jurists of the seventh century AH, having witnessed the final periods of the Abbasid and Seljuk states as well as the rise of the Khwārazmshāh dynasty. The intellectual dynamism of his era, the intra-madhhab debates, and the scholarly milieu in which he was raised played a decisive role in shaping his juristic thought. This study examines the commentary method adopted by al-Rāfiʿī in his work Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz fī Sharḥ al-Wajīz (also known as al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr), the sources he utilized, his mode of discussion, and his position within the Shāfiʿī school. Al- Rāfiʿīs scholarly expertise is manifested most fully in this work, which occupies a distinguished place in Shāfiʿī legal literature as one of the clearest indicators of his juristic mastery. The primary aim of this study is to identify the commentary methodology of Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz, which constitutes a significant link among the classical sources of the Shāfiʿī school, to determine the sources al-Rāfiʿī employed, and to evaluate the impact of his work on later literature. Although Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz serves as the main reference, the study also draws upon other works cited by al-Rāfiʿī within his commentary, alongside early Shāfiʿī sources, whenever necessary. The research reveals that Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz is a representative example of the interwoven commentary (memzūj sharḥ) format, in which the base text and commentary appear together, and that in terms of content it reflects the characteristic features of classical Shāfiʿī legal commentaries. The work not only engages extensively with earlier legal scholarship but also exerted a significant influence on major later jurists, most notably al-Nawawī. Although al-Rāfiʿīs affiliation with the school is evident in his interpretations, he generally adopts an academic, comparative, and non-partisan approach to legal issues. His discussions in Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz extend beyond reporting intra-madhhab disagreements to include valuable insights regarding the views of other schools as well. In this respect, the work stands as a highly significant source for both the commentary tradition and the development of Shāfiʿī legal doctrine. Keywords: Fiqh; Commentary; Ghazālī; al-Wajīz; Rāfiʿī; Fatḥ al-ʿAzīz</jats:p>