tarjih

Tarjih (Arabic: ترجيح) means giving priority or preferring one view over others. It is a methodological concept used in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and hadith sciences to resolve competing opinions, reports, or rulings.

In hadith studies, tarjih refers to evaluating rival narrations about the same issue and determining the stronger report or more reliable transmission. Scholars examine the chain of transmission (isnad), the text (matn), the reliability of narrators, and the chronology. They may also resolve apparent contradictions and weigh supporting evidence from other accepted hadith or Qur’anic verses to decide which report is more credible.

In fiqh and usul al-fiqh, tarjih involves selecting one legal ruling when different authorities or schools present divergent opinions. Jurists consider the weight of textual evidence, the strength of chains supporting a ruling, the consistency with established legal maxims and aims of Sharia (maqasid), and the overall plausibility of the reasoning. The outcome is a preferred opinion (al-ra’y al-marjooh) or a harmonized ruling, while other opinions may remain valid in differing contexts or for other schools.

Tarjih is a scholarly tool and its conclusions are subject to critique and debate. It reflects methodological judgments rather than binding doctrine and varies across scholars and traditions. Related concepts include tarh (the rejection of weaker evidence) and the broader processes of taqlid and ijtihaad that accompany juristic reasoning.