PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Abdullah Shadiq in Islamic Studies

Mr. Abdullah Manaa Mahdi Ali Shadiq was awarded a PhD degree in Islamic Studies for his dissertation titled: Juristic Consensus in Al-Intisar Book by Imam Yahya ibn Hamza (d. 749 AH):
A Study and Compilation of the Section on Acts of Worship in Comparison with Works of Comparative Fiqh, which was submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

# Committee Members Designation Position
1 Prof. Mohammed Yahya Al-Makhedhi ‎ Internal Examiner Chair
2 Prof. Huda Ali Al-Emad Main Supervisor Member
3 Prof. Ahmed Yabes Al-Ahdal External Examiner Member

The dissertation aimed to:
 Compile and systematically document the issues of juristic Consensus presented in the ‎section on acts of worship in Al-Intisar book.‎
 Analyze these issues, clarify their evidences, and examine their juristic foundations.‎
 Compare Imam Yahya ibn Hamza’s treatment of these issues with discussions found ‎in comparative Fiqh works across various schools of Jurisprudence.‎
 Highlight the Imam’s methodology in addressing issues of Consensus and ‎demonstrate its scholarly value.‎
 Contribute to consolidating the jurisprudence of consensus (Fiqh Al-ittifaq) and ‎promoting a culture of unity and moderation in contemporary Fiqh studies.‎
The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:
 Imam Yahya ibn Hamza devoted notable attention to highlighting shared juristic positions, reflecting a scholarly and conciliatory approach.
 The scope of agreement in matters of worship is broader than the scope of disagreement, with differences almost confined to subsidiary details.
 The jurisprudence of consensus constitutes an essential foundation for building a balanced and inclusive Fiqh discourse.
 Al-Intisar book represents an important source in comparative jurisprudence and merits further scholarly editing and study.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:‎

 Extending research to the remaining sections of Al-Intisar book following the methodology of Fiqh Al-ittifaq.
 Encouraging comparative studies that emphasize common juristic grounds among different schools of thought.
 Undertaking a rigorous academic critical edition of the book and publishing it in an accredited scholarly format.
 Incorporating the subject of the jurisprudence of consensus (Fiqh Al-ittifaq) into comparative Fiqh curricula in faculties of Sharia and Arts.
 Drawing on Imam Yahya ibn Hamza’s methodology to promote a culture of juristic dialogue grounded in fairness and scholarly objectivity.

The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and specialists, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.