SPs Theater Room UIN Jakarta, SPs NEWS: The Graduate School of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta held the 2775th Thesis Exam at the SPs Theater Room of UIN Jakarta, on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 with candidate Muhammad Alif.

Muhammad Alif is a student of the Master of Islamic Studies study program with a concentration in Hadith Interpretation. Alif wrote a thesis entitled "The Position and Role of the Sunnah in the Concept of Naskh Imam al-Shāfiʻī (An Analytical Study of the Book of al-Risālah)"

This qualitative research focuses on an in-depth analysis of the concept of naskh (abolition of law) in the perspective of Imam al-Shāfiʻī, especially as stated in the book al-Risālah. Alif highlighted how the sunnah is positioned in the concept of naskh al-Shāfiʻī and the factors that shape this view. Not only that, this research also seeks to construct the role of sunnah in the concept of naskh initiated by Imam al-Shāfiʻī.

In the data collection process, Alif used the library research method. Kitab al-Risālah is used as the primary primary source, supported by various books and articles as secondary sources. A descriptive-analysis approach is applied to inventory the data and then analyze it comprehensively, in order to gain a deeper understanding.

The results of Alif's research show findings that distinguish the concept of naskh al-Shāfiʻī from the views of the mutaakhirin (later scholars). Alif found that al-Shāfiʻī strictly restricted the domain of naskh, where the sunnah did not exist as nasikh (eraser) or mansukh (erased) of the Qur'an. Despite the change in the law in the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH on the instructions of the verse, Al-Shāfiʻī still holds that the Quran does not teach the sunnah.

This firm stance of Imam al-Shāfiʻī , according to Alif, is based on a strong argument. He is of the view that if the Quran is used as a nasikh against the sunnah, it is feared that many sunnah will be abandoned on the assumption that the sunnah is contrary to the Quran. The main factor that influences this view is the extreme current of thought of Mu'tazilah which positions reason to the point where human reason is considered capable of interpreting the sunnah if it is considered to be contrary to reason.

Furthermore, Alif succeeded in constructing the role of the sunnah in the concept of naskh al-Shāfiʻī into three main parts. First, the sunnah serves as an indication of the existence of naskh. Second, as concrete evidence that naskh has occurred. And third, as a consideration in determining the mansukhan (erasure) of a verse or sunnah. This study also expressly rejects the results of the research of Na'mān Jaghīm (2010) which interprets the view of al-Shāfiʻī recognizing the sunnah with the Quran. On the other hand, Alif agrees with Muḥammad Sinān al-Jalāl (2014) on the rejection of the claim of sunnah as nasikh, in line with the results of the research of ʻIṣām Zuhd and Yılmaz and Ahmet Ekinci (2021) on the invalidity of sunnah to nasikh and the limitations of the two naskh models (sunnah with sunnah and Quran with Quran). Alif's research also complements Kusmana's (2006) research on the pioneering of al-Shāfiʻī in the concept of naskh with the function rafʻ.

The results of this research not only enrich the treasures of Islamic scholarship, but also affirm the urgency of the concept of naskh mutaqaddimin which does not completely erase the verse. In addition, this study emphasizes the urgency of informative hadiths about the naskh of verses/hadiths in order to understand the dialectic of understanding the verses of the Qur'an and the sunnah at the time of revelation.

Muhammad Alif successfully defended his thesis under the guidance of Prof. Kusmana, MA, Ph.D, and was tested in front of a board of examiners consisting of Hamdani, M.Ag, Ph.D, Prof. Kusmana, MA, Ph.D, Dr. Ahmad Fudhaili, M.Ag and Mohammad Adnan, LL.M, Ph.D.

After paying attention to the thesis writing, the comments of the examiner team and the candidate's answers, the examiner team determined that Muhammad Alif graduated with the predicate of Very Satisfactory. Muhammad Alif is the 2775th master in the field of Islamic Studies, in the master's program of the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. (JA)