The Five Logical Universals and Their Impact on Usul al-Fiqh Terminology

Abstract

This study explores the Five Logical Universals and their impact on terminologies in Usul al-Fiqh, employing an inductive-analytical methodology. It aims to clarify the distinction between “definitions” (taʿrīfāt) and “limits” (ḥudūd) as understood by logicians and Usul scholars, and to highlight the position of Usul scholars regarding the Five Logical Universals. The research further investigates how these universals contributed to shaping and refining Usuli concepts, and assesses the degree of influence they exerted on classical Usul texts—whether direct, modified, or derivative.

To illustrate this influence, the study presents applied examples of Usuli terms that reflect the structure of the Five Universals: genus (jins), species (nawʿ), differentia (faṣl), property (khāṣṣah), and common accident (ʿaraḍ ʿām).

The findings reveal that Usul scholars—particularly from the fifth century AH onward—were significantly influenced by logical mechanisms for defining concepts, especially the method of ḥadd (definitional delimitation), which they adopted from classical logic. These universals formed the foundational material for such definitions. However, Usul scholars did not strictly adhere to the formal conditions and constraints of Aristotelian logic. Instead, they developed a theological-logical approach (manṭiq al-mutakallimīn) shaped by critical examination and adaptation to Islamic epistemology.

The impact of the Five Logical Universals is evident across nearly all chapters and discussions within the discipline of Usul al-Fiqh