The Concept of the Title Between Validity and Invalidity

Abstract

       This study examines the concept of Mafhūm al-Laqab (the implication of designation) as one of the semantic principles in Islamic legal theory (Usul al-Fiqh), and explores its relationship with Mafhūm al-Mukhālafah (argument from contrast) . It also aims to clarify the scholarly debate regarding its evidential value (ḥujjiyyah), by presenting and analyzing the opinions of jurists. The majority of scholars hold that Mafhūm al-Laqab is not a valid proof, in contrast to other types of implicit meanings such as the implication of attribute, condition, and limitation. Furthermore, the study discusses selected Qur’anic and Prophetic applications attributed to this concept, critically examining them and demonstrating that many of these examples do not genuinely represent Mafhūm al-Laqab, but rather fall under other interpretive principles or contextual reasoning. The study concludes that Mafhūm al-Laqab is a weak form of implication due to the absence of a meaningful link between the designation and the ruling, which renders it unreliable for legal inference.