An Introduction to Imam al-Baghawī and a Research Based Study of His Scholarly Contributions

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Despite Imam Ḥusayn b. Masʿūd al-Baghawī (d. 516 AH) being widely cited in classical Islamic literature, modern scholarship has largely treated his legacy in a fragmented and descriptive manner, often focusing on individual works without a systematic evaluation of his integrated scholarly methodology. This article addresses this gap by offering a holistic and critical analysis of al-Baghawī’s intellectual project across Qurʾānic exegesis, ḥadīth studies, and Shāfiʿī jurisprudence, situating his contributions within the intellectual landscape of fifth-century Khurāsān. Drawing on primary biographical sources and close textual analysis of his major works, particularly Maʿālim al-Tanzīl, Sharḥ al-Sunnah, and Maṣābīḥ al-Sunnah, the study demonstrates that al-Baghawī developed a coherent methodological framework grounded in textual authenticity, transmission-based interpretation, and deliberate restraint from speculative theological discourse. The article argues that his exegetical practice represents a consciously moderate synthesis of riwāyah and dirāyah, while his ḥadīth scholarship reflects an early effort toward pedagogical systematization of the Sunnah for both scholarly and instructional purposes. Furthermore, the study challenges the prevailing assumption of al-Baghawī as a strictly madhhab-bound jurist by showing that, although affiliated with the Shāfiʿī school, he consistently prioritized evidentiary strength over doctrinal conformity. By foregrounding al-Baghawī’s methodological unity across disciplines, this article contributes to a deeper understanding of classical Sunni epistemology and repositions him as a central figure in the formation of moderate and text-centered Islamic scholarship.