The College of Islamic Sciences at the University of Karbala held a discussion for the doctoral dissertation titled “The Usuli Methodology and Its Impact on Qur’anic Exegesis in the Imami School: A Presentation and Analysis”, submitted by the PhD candidate Raed Jasim Muhammad Abd. The defense was attended by a specialized academic committee, along with a number of professors and graduate students.

The researcher focused on illustrating the impact of Usuli methodology—with its historical and epistemological dimensions—on the development of Qur’anic exegesis within the Imami tradition. He explained that the science of Usul al-Fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence), since its emergence after the era of direct revelation, marked a critical turning point in the trajectory of Islamic thought, particularly through the contributions of prominent scholars such as Shaykh al-Mufid, Sharif al-Murtadha, and Shaykh al-Tusi. These figures played pivotal roles in the formulation of ijtihad (independent reasoning) and the establishment of systematic interpretive methods.

The dissertation highlighted that Usuli methodology was not merely a juristic tool but a key intellectual stream contributing to Qur’anic exegesis, especially in the interpretation of legal verses (Ayat al-Ahkam). It demonstrated how Usuli principles were methodically employed to achieve deeper and more structured understandings of Qur’anic meanings. The researcher also examined the reciprocal influence between Usul and exegesis and tracked its evolution through various scholarly movements, particularly emphasizing the Baghdad School as a cornerstone of intellectual renaissance.

The study concluded that societal needs and the evolution of Islamic thought prompted the gradual codification and institutionalization of Islamic sciences—including Usul—which later became one of the most significant analytical tools in Qur’anic interpretation and other Islamic disciplines.

The dissertation was well received by the academic committee for its in-depth analysis and epistemological grounding of a subject that bridges the rigorous principles of Usul with their practical application in exegetical scholarship within the Imami framework, reflecting the depth and scholarly value of the research in the field of graduate studies.