مكاتيبِ الأئمة (عليهم السلام) وأثرُها في استنباط الاحكام الشرعية

Writings of the Imams (peace be upon them) Its impact on deriving legal rulings

Abstract
In the name of Allah، the Most Gracious، the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah، the Lord of all worlds، who bestowed upon us knowledge and made the first words of His mighty book: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” Peace and blessings be upon the noblest of creation، Abu Al-Qasim Muhammad، and his pure and noble family.
Now، the science of hadith stands at the forefront of Islamic sciences established by Muslim scholars، serving as a means to understand Islamic thought in general and Islamic legislation in particular. Hadith knowledge is crucial for juristic reasoning (ijtihad)، relying on detailed evidence from its sources: the Quran and the noble Prophetic tradition (Sunnah). The Sunnah can be either a hadith narrated from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or statements attributed to him and the infallible Imams (peace be upon them).
On the other hand، the science of jurisprudence (fiqh) is among the most noble and beneficial sciences. Undoubtedly، every science gains its honor from the nobility of its subject. The excellence of jurisprudence lies in its practicality and its fundamental role in deducing detailed legal rulings from its sources—the Quran and Sunnah. It serves as a foundation for various other sciences and holds a unique position in guiding individual and collective aspects of life.
The relationship between jurisprudence and the Islamic legal system is essential، as it explores the divine rulings that govern human behavior. Man’s limited intellect cannot be the ultimate legislator، and any legal system lacking divine guidance is necessarily deficient. The Quran، revealed by Allah، addresses this divine law، elucidated through His sacred book and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his pure family.
The divine law encompasses both worldly and hereafter aspects، providing a comprehensive framework for individual،
social، religious، political، economic، and military matters. The infallible Imams، the Twelve Imams، wrote letters and communications to people، addressing various aspects of life، including worship، transactions، personal affairs، and matters related to beliefs.
It is evident that the only path to attain happiness lies in the divine laws governing both the worldly and the hereafter. Human reason alone cannot be the ultimate guide، and any legal system for organizing life must derive from the absolute and unlimited divine intellect. The Quran and the authentic traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his family serve as the source of this divine law.
Jurisprudence plays a pivotal role in organizing human affairs. Through it، one understands the systems governing worldly life and the relationship between the individual and their Lord in matters of worship، including obligatory and recommended acts. It also elucidates the consequences of adherence to or neglect of these laws، emphasizing the reward and punishment associated with them.
In conclusion، jurisprudence is both a worldly and hereafter happiness. It organizes life and establishes a connection between the servant and their Lord. The research covered the introduction and three chapters، exploring the foundations، origins، and significance of the letters (makaatib). It also examined applications of the letters، elucidating the rulings within the letters of the infallible Imams in worship، transactions، personal affairs، and legal judgments.
The conclusion summarized the essential findings of the research، followed by recommendations. Appendices included surveys conducted under the guidance of our esteemed reference (may his shade endure). The bibliography lists all the sources consulted، blending modern and classical references that formed the basis of our study.