Methodological Foundations of Theory-building in Islamic Sociology with Emphasis on Sociology of the Family

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Abstract

This article provides an appropriate ground for developing the Islamic human sciences in general and establishing a pattern for Islamic sociology especially. Given that, it deals with the most important methodological foundations of theory-building in the Islamic sociology concentrating on the field of sociology of the family. The article emphasizes the following pivotal suppositions: 1) The Islamic theory in the accepted pattern employs simultaneously and coherently Ijtihadi, rational and empirical methods. 2) It follows both current formations of sociological theories i.e. set of laws and causal process. 3) With respect to level of the theory, it would be a middle-range theory. 4) It mixes methodological individualism with methodological holism. 5) It employs a deductive strategy following a special textual pattern. 6) Among different kinds of models, it gives priority to constructing theoretical and normative models. 7) With regard to concept formation, it prefers an operationalistic approach. 8) It extracts hypotheses from the statements of religious texts in both mediate and immediate manners. 9) It meets the criteria of methodology of Ijtihad as well as the criteria of empirical confirmation or refutation of the hypothesis.

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