Ten Matters to Grasp When Approaching Any Given Discipline
Muhammad b. Ali as-Sabbaan (d. 1206 A.H.) said that there are ten matters to grasp when approaching any given discipline:
𝟏) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (الحد): What is the fully exhaustive definition of this discipline? It must be clear so that it encompasses all that it consists of and excludes all that it does not.
𝟐) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 (الموضوع): What is the field or area that this discipline is seeking to explore?
𝟑) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬/𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 (الثمرة): What are the benefits of studying this discipline? What are the ultimate objectives one is seeking to attain by studying it?
𝟒) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 (النسبة): What is the relationship of this discipline with others? Is it foundational to other disciplines or a branch of them? Is it considered an auxiliary science or one meant to be studied as an ultimate goal?
𝟓) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (الفضل): What is the honored station of this discipline?
𝟔) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 (الواضع): Who first authored on this discipline and sought to institute principles for it?
𝟕) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬/𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐬 (الاسم): What are the different labels and names this discipline is given so that it is made distinct from others?
𝟖) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧/𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 (الاستمداد): What are the external sources and foundational principles that this discipline is reliant on?
𝟗) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 (حكم الشارع): What is the Islamic ruling on studying this discipline? Is it compulsory, recommended, permitted, disliked, or forbidden?
𝟏𝟎) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬/𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 (المسائل): What are the different topics that could be researched and explored in this given discipline?