[CIS 1.2 (2005) 129-158] Comparative Islamic Studies (print) ISSN 1740-7125 Comparative Islamic Studies (online) ISSN 1743-1638 Theorizing Charismatic Authority in Early Islamic Law* JONATHAN E. BROCKOPP Pennsylvania State University In Islamic Studies, charisma has usually been reserved for the study ofmargin- alized individuals. I argue here that charisma may also be applied to leader- ship among legal scholars. To do so, Ijoin a long line of scholars who have modified Max Weber's initial insights, and put forth a new, dynamic model of charismatic authority. The purpose of my model is to accountfor the fact that religious histories emphasize the uniqueness of the originating charismatic event, be that Prophet Muhammad's revelations, Jesus' theophany or the } Buddha 's enlightenment, while at the same time recognizing that the charis- matic cycle never quite ends. In contrast with Weber, largue that charismatic authority in religious traditions is best understood as a network of influence and interaction through which the routinization of charisma reinterprets and redefines the meaning of the originating charismatic event. Connecting charisma to Islamic law may seem counter-intuitive. After all, every introductory textbook clarifies that the rules ofjurisprudence require scholars to subordinate their own opinions to the authority of scriptural sources. These rules are usually expressed in the form of a hadith which tells the story of the Prophet sending Mu'adh b. Jabbal to Yemen as a judge. The Prophet asked: "How will you form your judgments?" Mu'adh said, "I will judge accord- ing to the Book of God." He asked, "What if youfindno solution in the Book of God?" He replied, "Then [I will judge] by the Sunna of God's Prophet—God's blessings and peace be upon him." He asked, "And what if you do notfindit in the Sunna of the Prophet—God's blessings and peace be upon him?" He replied, "Then I will formulate my own judgment [ajtahidu ra'yï]." He said, "Praise be to God Who has granted success to the messenger of His prophet—God's blessings and peace be upon him." 1 In such a schenle, there is no charismatic connection to the divine and even personal discretion is minimized. Scholars of religion have questioned the historicity of this story, but they have not challenged the theological point of the narrative. If they discuss cha- risma at all in the Islamic context, it is reserved for the study of Sufis, Shi'is and other marginalized individuals. Sufis in particular, especially those who make claims to divine communion, miracles and intercession, are seen as better exemplars of charismatic leaders. In contrast, experts on Islamic law are usually portrayed, by Muslims as well as others, as the polar opposite of ecstatic Sufis, with dour lawyers enforcing strict interpretations of an inflexible law. © Equinox Publishing Ltd 2005, Unit 6, The Village, 101 Amies Street, London SW11 2JW.