Ibn Jamaʿa’s Synthesis and Praxis of Shafiʿi Political Thought

Chapter 2 introduces the reader to Ibn Jamaʿa’s (639/1241–733/1333) career and political thought. It explains the development of his practicable conceptions of the rule of law and his elaboration of a new system of checks and balances to moderate the ruler’s discretionary exercise of power, which was rooted in Shafiʿi juristic reasoning and greatly benefited from the author’s administrative and judicial experience. The chapter treats Ibn Jamaʿa’s tripartite conception of political authority, which ruled out the normative need for the caliphal institution, advanced what resembled a proto-constitution that regulated all aspects of public life and empowered the administration, and proposed an advanced theory of the legitimate delegation of power to high-ranking functions of government.