Shariah: Sources of Islamic Law
Quran, Sunnah, Ijma, Qiyas, and the four schools of jurisprudence
Shariah (Islamic law) provides guidance for all aspects of Muslim life. It is derived from four main sources:
1. Quran: The primary source — direct word of Allah. Contains commands, prohibitions, and principles. Example: prohibition of riba (interest), requirements of Salah, inheritance laws (Surah An-Nisa).
2. Sunnah/Hadith: The Prophet's ﷺ practices, sayings, and tacit approvals. Second source. Example: specific details of how to pray (not fully detailed in Quran).
3. Ijma (Consensus): Agreement of qualified Islamic scholars on a legal matter. Based on the Hadith: "My Ummah will never agree upon an error." Important for issues not directly addressed in Quran/Sunnah.
4. Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning): Extending a known ruling to a new situation with a shared cause (illah). Example: Quran prohibits wine (khamr) → Qiyas extends this to all intoxicants because the shared cause is intoxication.
Four Sunni Schools (Madhahib):
Key Points to Remember
- 1Four sources: Quran, Sunnah, Ijma, Qiyas
- 2Quran is primary; Sunnah provides practical detail
- 3Qiyas applies known rulings to new situations by analogy
- 4Four schools: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali
Pakistan Example
Pakistan's Hanafi Tradition — Shariah in Daily Life
Pakistan predominantly follows the Hanafi school — the most flexible of the four madhahib. The Federal Shariat Court reviews laws for Shariah compliance. Issues like Islamic banking (avoiding riba) are resolved using Qiyas — extending the Quranic prohibition of wine to modern financial interest. Understanding these sources is essential for A Level Islamic Studies.