<![CDATA[This study aims to examine in depth the bayani epistemology within the corpus of Islamic scholarship by conducting a comparative analysis of the thought of Imam al-Shafi‘i and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, two central figures in the development of usul al-fiqh. Bayani epistemology is understood as an epistemic framework grounded in the authority of textual sources and linguistic structures as primary instruments in legal derivation. Imam al-Shafi‘i, through his seminal work al-Risalah, established a systematic framework of usul al-fiqh by articulating a hierarchical structure of legal sources, including the Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus (ijma‘), and analogical reasoning (qiyas). His approach demonstrates an integration between textual fidelity and methodical linguistic reasoning. Conversely, Imam Hanbali represents a stricter textual orientation, prioritizing hadith and the reports of the Companions as core epistemic foundations while limiting the application of qiyas to its minimum necessity. Using a literature-based method and content analysis, this study finds that although both scholars fall within the bayani epistemological paradigm, significant differences appear in their degree of rational engagement, methodological structuring, and textual orientation. These findings underscore the substantial contributions of the two scholars to the diversification of usul al-fiqh methodologies and their relevance to contemporary Islamic legal thought.]]>
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