A doctoral student from the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FIS) at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), Anggi Azzuhri presented his dissertation research at the XI Islamic Legal Studies Conference, held at the University of Münster, Germany, on May 22 to 24, 2025. This international conference was organized by the International Society for Islamic Legal Studies (ISILS), focusing on the theme: “Belonging to a Madhhab: Formation, Cohesion and Diversity in Islamic Schools of Law.”
In his presentation titled “The Rise of Meccan and Cairene Shafi‘ism: Intellectual Feud Between Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and Shams al-Din al-Ramli,” Azzuhri examined a significant intra-madhhab debate between two leading Shafi‘i scholars of the 16th century—both disciples of Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī. Through in-depth textual analysis of their seminal works—Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj, Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj, and al-Fawāʾid al-Madaniyya—he argued for the recognition of a distinct “third stream” within the Shafi‘i school of law. This divergence, he noted, continues to influence legal thought and practice among Shafi‘i communities, particularly in regions like the Nusantara and the Indian subcontinent.
Reflecting on his research, Anggi Azzuhri emphasized that the historical debates within the Shafi‘i madhhab illustrate a long-standing tradition of intellectual diversity and critical engagement in Islamic legal thought.
The conference featured an impressive lineup of internationally recognized scholars in the field of Islamic legal studies, including Asma Afsaruddin (Indiana University), Marion Katz (New York University), Samy Ayoub (University of Texas at Austin), Serena Tolino (University of Bern), Gianluca Parolin (Aga Khan University), Robert Gleave (University of Exeter), and Nadia Sonneveld (Leiden University). Their contributions provided rich insights into the formation, cohesion, and diversity of Islamic legal schools, spanning various historical periods and global contexts.
Anggi Azzuhri’s participation in the conference was made possible through the generous support of the organizers, with travel and logistical funding provided by the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies and the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” at the University of Münster.
The Faculty of Islamic Studies at UIII proudly supports students who actively engage in international academic platforms. Azzuhri’s contribution reflects the Faculty’s mission to promote critical, historically rooted, and globally relevant Islamic scholarship.For those interested in exploring the discussions further, several conference sessions, including Anggi’s presentation are available on the ISILS podcastShar3i. Listen to Episode 26 here: https://isils.net/isils/the-podcast-shar3i/