The Realm and Influence of the Narrator's Question Centered on the Al-ʿIbrah Rule

One of the most widely used rules in the inferring rulings is Al-ʿIbrah bi ʿUmūm al-lafẓ, lā bi khusūs al-sabab, which helps the jurist in identifying the scope of the ruling. Most of the aḥadīth that contain a general ruling have been issued in response to the narrator's specific question, and whether the criterion in such aḥadīth is the generality of the answer of the infallible Imām or the nature of the narrator's question is a matter of debate. The narrator's question, as one of the reasons for the issuance of the ḥadīth, can restrict general answer, but the rule of Al-ʿIbrah emphasizes the inclusion of the answer. This article tries to present a detailed picture of this rule and where the rule is applied to the audience by reflecting on the basic theories and examining the reaction of the jurists to the rule of Al-ʿIbrah using a descriptive-analytical method. The result of the research is that the rule of Al-ʿIbrah plays an important role in the development of Sharīʿah rules and is known as a revealing tool. Verbal and practical consensus, the Sīrah of Ahl al-Bayt, and the evidence of authenticity of Ẓavāhir suffice to establish the validity of this rule, and among the essential elements of this rule are: the Infallible's word preceding the question, the independence of Infallible’s answer, and its non-contradiction with Sharīʿah rules.