This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Performing Friday and Holiday Prayers in the Volga-Ural Region: a view of Abu-al-Nasr al-Qursawi (1776-1812)

Abstract

The article presents analysis of Islamic legal opinion letter (fatwa) by the outstanding Tatar Muslim scholar Abu-al-Nasr ‘Abd-al-Nasir al-Qursawi (1776-1812) on the legitimacy of holding Friday and Holiday Muslim Prayers (in the Volga-Ural Region) outlined in his treatise “al-Irshad li-al-‘ibad” (“Setting people on the path of truth”). The legitimacy of holding Friday Muslim Ceremony was disputed by some of local religious leaders in connection with the absence in that area of two conditions established by the early Muslim jurists fuqaha’) of Hanafi legal school (traditional madhhab for the Tatars). In his treatise, Abu-al-Nasr al-Qursawi arguably proved the legitimacy and necessity of fulfilling this important devotional duty of Islam, which is important not only for cultic but also for social significance. This Tatar Muslim scholar could do it without going beyond the framework of Hanafi madhhab, thereby showing that this school is not limited to only one point of view and has broad law enforcement and methodological capabilities, that take into account regional and temporal characteristics.