Shariah and Sources of Muslim Law

Domain of Muslims:

The word “Muslim” means “One who submits to Allah”. Islam expects a Muslim to follow its laws, in every aspect of life. Islamic Shariah is not limited, and no aspect of human life is outside its domain. Whether it is: Personal and familial, Religious and social, moral and political, or even related to business and economics.

Shariah in the Light of the Quran:

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was His last messenger, and his Shariah represents the ultimate manifestation of divine mercy. In the Holy Quran, Allah says:

The Encompassing Scope of Muslim Law and Life

The word “Muslim” means “One who submits to Allah”. Islam expects a Muslim to follow its laws, in every aspect of life. The Muslim Law is not limited, and no aspect of human life is outside its domain. Whether it is: Personal and familial, Religious and social, moral and political, or even related to business and economics.

Sources of Muslim Law (Shariah)

Shariah laws are abstracted from the following four resources:

1. QURAN: a book of Allah;
2. SUNNAH: the practices of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him);
3. IJMA: the approval and agreed opinion of the Muslim jurists; and;
4. QIYAS: the analogy from the Quran, Sunnah, and Ijma.

We will take a look at each of these sources of Islamic law.

QURAN: First Source

• Quran is the sacred book of Muslims and is the primary source of the Muslim laws. Allah dictated the Quran through Angle Jibrael, the Angel, to Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). The Quran is a complete code of conduct itself, and it all the areas of human life, such as marriage, rights of relatives and neighbors, economic laws of Islam, and even sleeping and habits. It tells us what Allah wants us to do, from birth to death.
• The Quran is the Primary Source of Sharia because it has direct words of Allah. However, when it does not speak directly on a certain subject, Muslims only then turn to alternative sources.

SUNNAH: Second Source

• The word Sunnah means “a system”, “a path”, or “an example”. In Islam, it refers to the practices of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and his life examples.
• Sunnah are the things that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said, did, or agreed to. Sunnah clarifies details of what is stated generally in the Quran. All his life, the Prophet acted on what Allah told him to do. So, it is part of every Muslim’s faith that Sunnah is a complete obedience of Allah, and so it must be followed.

Who Were Sahaba?

They were Prophet’s family members and companions who observed him during his lifetime and shared with others exactly what they had seen in his words and behaviours.

What is Hadith?

These are the “Sayings, actions, and the actions done with the approval of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)”. They include issues concerning personal conduct, community, family relations, and political matters.

Ahadith were collected and compiled very carefully, since the death of the Prophet. They were reported by Sahaba.

IJMA: Third Source

It may be defined as:

“Consensus of opinion of the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) or Muslim jurists of the first three centuries of the Hijra”.

• Ijma is simply an agreed-upon decision. It is used in an Islamic society to overcome a problem, that could not be found in Quran, or Sunnah.
• Ijma may be understood from the following Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who said:

4. Qiyas

Qiyas means, “Judging by comparing with something”. It may be defined as “The analogy from the Quran, the Sunnah, and Ijma”. Qiyas can be carried out only in a Sharia-governed state when a solution to a problem cannot be found in the Quran, Sunnah, and Ijma. When something needs a legal ruling but has not been clearly addressed in the other sources, Islamic jurists may use an analogy, reasoning, and legal precedent to decide on new case law.

Qiyas may be understood from the following Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who said:

Why Shariah Laws are Important?

Muslims believe that the purpose of their creation is nothing but servitude, which is being a servant to the creator of mankind. They also believe that without the guidance of Allah, no one will meet this purpose. Therefore fulfillment of the servitude mission under the Shariah-compliant laws is following the guidance of Allah.