Sources of Islamic Law PDF

Sources of Islamic Law ISLAMIC LAW IS BASED UPON FOUR MAIN SOURCES Sources of Islamic Law There are four sources of Islamic Law. Primary Sources: ◦ The Holy Quran ◦ The Sunnahs of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) Secondary Sources: ◦ Ijma (Consensus) ◦ Qiyas (Analogy) Al Qur’an ( ‫)القرآن الكريم‬ The...

Sources of Islamic Law ISLAMIC LAW IS BASED UPON FOUR MAIN SOURCES Sources of Islamic Law There are four sources of Islamic Law. Primary Sources: ◦ The Holy Quran ◦ The Sunnahs of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) Secondary Sources: ◦ Ijma (Consensus) ◦ Qiyas (Analogy) Al Qur’an ( ‫)القرآن الكريم‬ The First Source Different Names of The Quran Al - Qur’an ‫القرآن‬ Al - Kitab ‫الكتاب‬ Al - Furqan ‫الفرقان‬ Al - Dikr ‫الذكر‬ Al - Tanzeel ‫الت ْنزيل‬ The Holy Quran (‫)القرآن‬ Muslims believe the Quran to be the direct words of Allah, as revealed to and transmitted by the Prophet Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه وسلم‬. The Quran is the Most Fundamental Source of Islamic knowledge. All sources of Islamic law must be in essential agreement with the Qur'an. When the Qur'an itself does not speak directly or in detail about a certain subject, Muslims only then turn to alternative sources of Islamic law Who Revealed this Book? ‫هللا الذي أنزل الكتاب بالحق والميزان‬ )17 :‫(سورة الشورى‬ Allah is the One who has sent down the Book with truth and the Balance as well. ‫ت ْنزيل الكتاب من هللا العزيز الحكيم إنا أنزلنا إليك الكتاب بالحق فاعبد هللا‬ ‫مخلصا له الدين‬ )2-1 :‫(سورة الزمر‬ This is the revelation of the Book from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. Surely We have revealed the Book to You with truth; so worship Allah making your submission exclusive for Him. Is the Quran in its real form? ‫إنا نحن نزلنا الذكر وإنا له لحافظون‬ )9 :‫(سورة الحجر‬ We, Ourselves, have sent down the Dhikr (Qur’an), and We are there to protect it. Is the Quran the Source of Islamic Law? ‫ذلك الكتاب الريب فيه هدى للمتقين‬ )2 :‫(سورة البقرة‬ This Book has no doubt in it – a guidance for the God-fearing. ‫فاحكم بينهم بما أنزل هللا‬ )48 :‫(سورة المائدة‬ So, judge between them according to what Allah has sent down.  ‫وهذا كتاب أنزلناه مبرك فاتبعوه‬ )15 :‫(سورة األنعام‬ And this (Qur’an) is a blessed Book, We have sent down. So, follow it and fear Allah, so that you may be favored with mercy. ‫إن هذا القرآن يهدي للتي هي أقوم‬ )9 :‫(سورة بني إسرائيل‬ Surely, this Qur’an guides to something that is most straightforward.  Sunnah (‫)سنہ‬ The Second Source Four Responsibilities of Prophet Muhammad (‫) صلى هللا عليه وسلم‬  ‫لقد من هللا على المؤمنين إذ بعث فيهم رسوال من أنفسهم يتلوا عليهم آيته ويزكيهم ويعلمهم الكتب‬ ‫والحكمة وإن كانوا من قبل لفي ضلل مبين‬ )164 :‫(سورة آل عمران‬ Allah has surely conferred favor on the believers when He raised in their midst a messenger from among themselves who recites to them His verses and makes them pure and teaches them the book and the wisdom, while earlier, they were in open error. Summary of the Verse Great blessing from Allah that He chose the Holy Prophet as a messenger. He chose the messenger among them not from any other clan or nation. 1st Responsibility is to recite to them His verses 2nd is to teach them the book 3rd is to teach them the wisdom 4th to make them pure Authority of Sunnah Sunnah means a manner of acting or mode of life. It is technically defined as a word spoken or an act done or a confirmation given by the Holy prophet Muhammad (SAW). Any report that narrates a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is called Hadith. The Sunnah is the second source of Islamic Law. Its authority is derived from the text of the Quran  ‫وما ينطق عن الهوى إن هو إال وحي يوحى‬ He (The Prophet) doesn’t speak out of (his own) desire. It is but revelation revealed (to him). ‫وأطيعوا هللا ورسوله إن كنتم مؤمنين‬ “ And obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers”. ‫وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نزل إليهم‬ I have revealed the book to you, so that you may explain to them what have been revealed to them.  ‫قل أطيعوا هللا وأطيعوا الرسول فإن تولوا فإنما عليه ما حمل وعليكم ما حملتم وإن‬ ‫تطيعوه تهتدوا وما على الرسول إال البالغ المبين‬ Say, Obey Allah and obey the messenger. But if you turn away, then on him (the messenger) lies (the responsibility of) what he is burdened with, and on you lies (the responsibility of) what you are burdened with. And if you obey, you will get the right path. The duty of the messenger is no more than to convey the message clearly. ‫لقد كان لكم في رسول هللا أسوة حسنة‬ “Indeed, for you the life of the Prophet is a model of behavior”. ‫قل أطيعوا هللا وأطيعوا الرسول فإن تولوا فإن هللا اليحبالكافرين‬ Say, Obey Allah and obey the messenger. But if you turn away, then Allah doesn't love nonbelievers.  ‫وما آتاكم الرسول فخذوه وما نهاكم عنه فانتهوا‬ “And whatsoever the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) gives you, take it and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain from it”. ‫من يطع الرسول فقد أطاع هللا‬ Who ever obeyed the Messenger obeyed Allah ‫وما أرسلنا من رسول إال ليطاع بإذن هللا‬ I have not sent down any prophet for any mission except that he, with the will of Allah be obeyed (by the people). ‫قل إن كنتم تحبون هللا فاتبعوني يحببكم هللا ويغفرلكم ذنوبكم‬ Say, If you love Allah follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. ‫يأمرهم بالمعروف وينههم عن المنكر ويحل لهم الطيبات ويحرم عليهم الخبائث‬ )157 :‫ويضع عنهم إصرهم واألغالل (سورة األعراف‬ And who bids them what is fair and forbids what is unfair, and makes lawful for them good things, and makes unlawful for them impure things, and relieves them of their burden and the shackles that were upon them. Ijma )‫(اجماع‬ Consensus of The Ummah 19 Ijma (Consensus of Ummah) Ijma or the consensus of scholars signifies the importance of delegated legislation to the Muslim community. The Muslim Society requires such a rule making power to meet the practical problems for implementation of Islamic Shariah. Ijma means agreeing upon or uniting in opinion. It has been technically defined as the consensus of the scholars of the ummah of a certain period over a religious matter. 20 Prove of Ijma from Qur’an Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: ‫ومن يشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبين له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنين نوله ما تولى ونصله‬.‫جهنم وسآءت مصيرا‬ “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell, what an evil destination!”.‫يأيها الذين آمنوا أطيعوا هللا وأطيعوا الرسول وأولى األمر منكم‬ O you who believe! obey Allah and obey Messenger and those in authority among you. 21 Prove of Ijma ‫وأمرهم شورى بينهم‬ And whose affairs are (settled) with mutual consultation between them ‫وشاورهم في األمر فإذا عزمت فتوكل على هللا إن هللا يحب‬ ‫المتوكلين‬ Consult them in the matter and once you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah. Surely, Allah loves those who place their trust in Him. 22  Prove of Ijma from Hadith The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: ‫لن تجتمع أمتي على الضاللة‬ “My Ummah shall never be combined on an error”. ‫يد هللا على الجماعة‬ The help of Allah is with union. 23 Kinds of Ijma Ijma of entire companion of Holy Prophet clearly. Ijma of the some companion silently. Ijma of Tabiyeen. Ijma of Mutakhereen. The accepted Ijma is only of those persons they are able to make Ijma and give their consensus. 24  Examples Consensus of the companions of Holy Prophet on Salat-ul-Travih. Compilation of Qur’an in the book shape. Compilation of Hadith The Holy war against those who rejected the Zakat. And Hazrat Abu Bakar told there is no difference between Zakat and prayer. All companion accepted. The share of grand mother in meerath is also proved by Ijma. 25 Qiyas )‫(قیاس‬ ANALOGICAL REASONING Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning) Qiyas means judging or comparing the things. Qiyas is the fourth important source of Islamic law. It is technically defined as to apply a recognized rule of shariah expressly mentioned in the Holy Quran and Sunnah to a similar thing or situation by way of analogy. Qiyas is resorted to in respect of problems about which there is no specific provision in the Quran or the Sunnah of the Prophet. Authenticity of Qiyas through Quran )43 :‫فسئلوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم ال تعلمون (سورة النحل‬ So, ask the people (having the knowledge) of the Reminder (the earlier scriptures), if you do not know. ‫فاعتبرو يا اولی االبصار‬ So, Learn a Lesson,(from their condition) O Those who have Eyes It means some problems will appear and you will not find the solution, therefore you can ask the people having knowledge of Qur’an and Hadith, and reason with them.  Authenticity of Qiyas through Quran ‫وتلك األمثال نضربها للناس وما يعقلها إال العلمون‬ )43 :‫(سورة العنكبوت‬ We site these examples for people, but no one understands them except the knowledgeable ones. It means that Allah stated examples and some people can understand. If someone wants a solution, they should ask the knowledgeable once and those can derive the solution. Authenticity of Qiyas through Quran ‫يأيها الذين آمنوا أطيعوا هللا وأطيعوا الرسول وأولى األمر منكم فإن‬.‫تنازعتم في شيئ فردوه إلى هللا والرسول‬ O you who believe! obey Allah and obey Messenger and those in authority among you. Then if you quarrel about something, revert it back to Allah and the messenger. It means that not every body can do Qiyas but they should follow those in authority among them. Ijtehad ‫اجتھاد‬ Ijtihad It is actually a process of Qiyas. Literal meaning: ◦ To exerts one’s utmost efforts. Technical meaning: ◦ To exert utmost efforts to discover a ruling of Shariah on a particular matter. The Origin of Ijtihad When the Holy Prophet (SAW) intended to send his companion Mu’adh (RA) to Yemen as a ruler and as a judge, he asked him: How will you adjudicate a matter when it will come to you? He said: “I shall decide on the basis of Allah’s Book (the Holy Quran)” The Prophet asked : if you do not find it in Allah’s Book, what will you do? He said: “then on the basis of Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger”. If you do not find it even in the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (what will you do) ? The Holy Prophet asked: He replied: “I shall make Ijtihad on the basis of my understanding (about the Holy Quran and Sunnah) and will not spare any efforts (to reach the truth). On this the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “Praise be to Allah who has let the Messenger of the Messengers of Allah to do what pleases Allah’s Messenger”. (Abu Dawood, hadith No: 3592)  Misconceptions regarding Ijtihad Misconception: ◦ Ijtihad can be exercised even against the explicit provisions of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Correction: ◦ Ijtihad may be exercised only where no explicit provision is found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Misconception: ◦ Ijtihad is to follow one’s own opinion based on purely rational assessment Correction: ◦ Ijtihad is to discover the Divine Rule in the light of the principles laid down by the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah Misconceptions regarding Ijtihad Misconception: ◦ Ijtihad is meant only to provide concessions and leeway. Correction: ◦ Ijtihad is an impartial way to discover the Divine law whether it leads to a concession or to a strict ruling. Requirements of Ijtihad Extensive Knowledge of: 1) The Arabic Language and Literature. 2) The Holy Quran 3) The Background of the verses of the Holy Quran called “Asbub-un-Nuzool”. 4) Critical studies of the traditions relevant to the exegesis of the Quran. 5) Sunnah 6) Critical studies of Ahadith and their authenticity. 7) Islamic Jurisprudence.