One of the significant disciplines of Islamic legal thought. Introduces the principal abstract areas relating to the discipline: namely, definition, functions, types, sources, relationship with other disciplines of Islamic legal thought.

The discussion mostly contains the examples that jurists have adduced in the course of history. In some cases, however, examples of contemporary issues have also been added. The main focus is to show the significance of qawaid in categorizing the scattered and, sometimes, unmanageable fiqh cases into general principles.