The Shī‘a and Sunnī Textual Origins of Uṣūl ‘Amaliya (Practical Principles)

In contemporary researches about the issues concerning fiqh and uṣūl (jurisprudence and the principles of jurisprudence), exploring the
origins and historical traces of concepts and views has gradually become a part of their conceptual and assertoric principles; the method that definitely would be the only way to have a profound understanding of an issue. Likewise, it is necessary to apply this method to have an in-depth research regarding uṣūl ‘amalīyah (practical principles). The paper explores the historical origins of general matters of uṣūl ‘amalīyah and, through an inductive study in earlier Shī‘a and Sunnī texts, intends to answer the questions like: the way these concepts entered in demonstrative jurisprudence and uṣūl discourses, their common characteristics, the earlier scholars’ approach to uṣūl ‘amalīyah, application order of these principles, their position, their relation with each other, and their internal order.
The research concludes that uṣūl ‘amalīyah, however, have firm bases in Imams’ (A.S.) teachings, but as regards compiling, their origins trace back to Sunni demonstrative jurisprudence and uṣūl texts.
From earlier Shī‘a and Sunnī scholars’ point of view, uṣūl ‘amalīyah have two general characteristics: first, these principles are definite, and second, that they come into effect after amārāt (denotations).