Idjmā‘(Consensus) Caught up between Mohaghegh Ardabili’s Rejection and Approval

Idjmā‘(Consensus) is among the most challenging Jurisprudential proofs in the eyes of Shiite scholars and each of the great jurists has adopted a specific approach to it. A well-known Shiite jurist famous for frequent use of Idjmā‘in his jurisprudential citations is Mohaghegh Ardabili (1572 A.D). The study of his jurisprudence reveals that in the area of jurisprudential citations, he has considered that Idjmā‘ madraki (consensus whose sources are known) has authority. However, there are arguments which indicate the difference between his jurisprudential citations and his theoretical bases concerning  Idjmā‘. In other words, in the field of jurisprudential citations, he has considered that all instances of Idjmā‘manghul madraki (quoted consensus whose sources are known) are of authority but according to his theoretical bases, reaching Idjmā‘ is possible only in the age of appearance and the times near it.