Categories and characteristics of Halal and Haram to Imam Shafi'i

The book is authored by the esteemed jurist and usuli scholar Abu Bakr Ahmad Al-Khaffaf Al-Shafi'i (345H). It addresses the subject of categories and characteristics as a science, explaining the methods of divisions and types. When a scholar discusses a topic, he may say, for example, that it falls into three categories or that a particular attribute has ten characteristics, and so on. This approach was commonly employed by early scholars.

Al-Khaffaf, may Allah have mercy on him, structured his jurisprudential book following the method of the Shafi'i scholars of Iraq. Additionally, he provided an unprecedented introduction in Usul to the book.

Dr. Adnan bin Zaid bin Muhammad Al-Fahmi, in his introduction, states that there is no known text of an introduction in Usul that encompasses almost all Usul issues after Al-Shafi'i's Risala except for the introduction to the book "Categories and Characteristics." Al-Khaffaf concluded this introduction with a discussion on the art of debating, making him among the first to write on this subject.

The book is introduced by Sheikh Dr. Salih ibn Abdallah al-Humayd, who speaks about the emergence of jurisprudential schools, their merits, and characteristics.

Excellent Saudi edition with most of the Harakat.