273
See also: Living in harmony 38 ■ Wisdom lies with the superior man 72–77 ■ The personal quest for truth 144
■ Writing the Oral Law 182–83 ■ God reveals his word and his will 254–61
Qur’an) and his example (Sunna) for
direction. With his death, however,
this guidance ceased. As it was, the
question of how to apply existing
revelations to everyday life, across
the various cultures of the growing
Muslim community, was a delicate
matter. Despite the emergence of
Islamic judges who could rule on
public and private concerns, there
was a call for more uniform and
clearly defined shari‘a.
Defining Islamic law
Scholars keen to standardize Islamic
jurisprudence emerged in many
Muslim communities, leading to
disagreement over how to apply the
law. Should its scope be restricted to
the teachings of the Qur’an and the
Sunna, or could jurists incorporate
their own analysis and reason?
By the 8th century, Muslims differed
widely on the application of shari‘a.
Scholar Abu ‘Abdallah Muhammad
ibn Idris al-Shafi‘i, seen by many as
the father of Islamic jurisprudence,
came to the fore to offer unifying
thought on the legal concerns of
the day. According to al-Shafi‘i,
there were four sources of law: the
Qur’an, the Sunna, the consensus
of the community (ijma), and
analogical reasoning (qiyas).
Believed to be the literal word
of God, the Qur’an is the primary
source for Islamic principles and
values. In many passages, it directly
addresses matters such as murder,
exploitation of the poor, usury, theft,
and adultery, clearly condemning
them. In other instances, the Qur’an
works to curb certain behavior
over time. For example, early ❯ ❯ISLAM
By looking for
his guidance in
every matter.We can use the
mind God gave us to
reason his will.God guides us
with shari‘a.All of these things
come from God.We can consult the
Qur’an for his word.We can ask for
the opinion of our
fellow believers.How do we live a life
that pleases God?We can look to the
Prophet for example.All of these things
form shari‘a, the path
to good living.“The road to the watering hole”—
the literal translation of shari’a—
is a concept that has considerable
resonance for believers who came
from an unforgiving desert climate.