Authored by the Andalusian polymath Ibn Rushd (Averroes), 'Bidayat al-Mujtahid wa Nihayat al-Muqtasid' is a monumental work of comparative Islamic jurisprudence. The book meticulously documents the differing legal opinions of the major Islamic schools of thought on a vast range of topics. For each issue, Ibn Rushd presents the scriptural evidence and rational arguments used by each school, aiming to reveal the root causes of their disagreements. This objective and analytical approach makes it an essential text for students of Islamic law, providing them with the necessary tools to understand the methodology of legal reasoning and the diversity within the tradition.