Shatibi

Shatibi refers to Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Musa al-Shatibi, a prominent 14th-century Andalusian Maliki jurist and theorist of Islamic jurisprudence. He hailed from the Shatiba district of Granada, which gave him the nisba al-Shatibi. In the 1300s he became a noted judge and scholar in Al-Andalus and is best known for his work in usul al-fiqh.

His magnum opus, Al-Muwafaqat fi Usul al-Sharia (The Concordance of the Foundations of the Sharia), is a foundational text in Islamic legal theory. In it, al-Shatibi developed and systematized the theory of maqasid al-sharia—the objectives or purposes of Islamic law. He argued that jurists should interpret and apply law with regard to the higher aims of Sharia, emphasizing the protection of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property, and the promotion of public welfare.

Shatibi’s approach stressed the teleological and holistic nature of the sharia, seeking to align legal doctrine with social outcomes. His ideas influenced later Sunni legal theory, particularly within the Maliki tradition, and contributed to ongoing maqasid-focused currents in Islamic thought. While biographical details are less complete than for some contemporaries, his scholarly legacy endures in studies of jurisprudence and legal theory. He died around 1388 CE.