Independent School of Law was also recognised by Sunni authorities. Abu Zakariya al-Nawawi, (ob. 676 H./1277 A.D.), in his book Tahdhib al-'Asma', after speaking about Jabir b. Zaid, his teachers and students said, " .... They all agreed upon regarding him a great and reliable scholar; he was considered to be one of the Imams and the learned among the 'successor' and he had a school (madhhab) of his own." 7

Accounts of Jabir's Life and Activity as a mufti have already been given.8 Here we are mainly concerned with his contribution and approach as a jurist. His legal opinions or fatwas were recorded by his Ibadhi students and form an important part of the basis of the Ibadhi School of law.

Sources of Legal Opinions known to and used by Jabir were the Qur'an, Sunnah, opinions of the Companions, ('Athar) and his own ra'y, individual reasoning.

Interpretation of the Qur'an With regard to the Qur'an, Jabir possessed full knowledge of its interpretation from his teacher Ibn 'Abbas who is considered to be the best authority in the Tafsir of the Qur'an. The two authorities from whom most information on Tafsir were reported, Mujahid and Qatadah, both had close relationship with Jabir. In fact, Qatadah was one of Jabir's students.9 It is of interest affirm here that there were no special Ibadhi works on Tafsir during the first 150 years of the hijrah. Ibadhi sources mentioned the Tafsir of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Rustam,10 one of the students of Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim b. Abi Karimah, and the first Imam of the Ibadhi Imamate in Tahert. The second complete Tafsir is that of Hud b. Muhkam al-Hawwari which was composed during the 3rd century H.11 The most important and the largest Tafsir written by an Ibadhi author is the Tafsir of Abu Ya'qub Yusuf b. Ibrahim al-Warijlani, (d 570H).12 This work is still lost. The discovery of this book would be of great value to Islamic and Ibadhi studies.

Interpretation of Qur'anic Verses The interpretation of the Qur'anic verses dealing with legal and religious matters is reported in those works containing the fatawa, and the transmissions (riwayat), of Jabir and Abu 'Ubaidah. The verses dealing with legal matters are dealt with in a special work by the Omani Imam al-Salt b. Malik (d. Friday, 15 Dhu al-Hijjah, 275). His work is entitled Tafsir 'ayat al-'Ahkam, or Tafsir al-Khamsini'ati 'ayah.13

Studies of Jabir b. Zaid As for the studies of Jabir b. Zaid, he gained his knowledge of Islam and its religious and legal system through a large number of Companions, especially Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud and 'A'ishah. The Ibadhi Imam Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim b. Abi Karimah claims the professorship of the following Companions for the Ibadhi school; Abdullah b. 'Abbas, 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud, and Abdullah b. Sallam. He described them as being firmly rooted in