This article presents two short but complete treatises on legal theory (us?u?l al-fiqh). The first was written by Ibn Surayj (d. 306/918) as an addendum to his compendium Sha?fi?i? law, al-Wada??i?, and the second Abu? Bakr al-Khaffa?f (fl. early fourth/tenth century), who included it introduction text al-Aqsa?m wa-l-khis?a?l. An analysis of these texts reveals existence a self-conscious...