The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (34 page)

 
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(d. 767 (AH 150)).
Muslim theologian and jurist, and founder of the
anafites
(Kufan) law school (
shar
‘a
). Ab
an
fa's use of
qiy
s
(analogy),
isti
s
n
(juristic preference), ra’y (personal judgement) to resolve new legal problems arising in the expanding Muslim world, characterized his law school, in contrast to the other
schools of law
. Furthermore, he stressed the idea of an international Muslim community, unified by the
Qur’
n
and
Sunna
, avoiding extremes. In his personal life, he suffered punishment and imprisonment at the hands of the Umayyads and
‘Abb
sids
because of his independent viewpoint and his refusal to accept the official post of q
d
in K
fa. He died in prison in Baghd