3. The Five Types of Decrees
AllIslamicinjunctionsfallwithinthefivemaincategoriesoflaws:wājib,
mustahab, jā’iz,makrūh,andharām. Thereare othersub-divisions within
these five decrees.
1.Wājib:meansobligatory, necessary, incumbent.Anactwhichmust
beperformed.Onewillbepunished forneglectingawajibact,e.g.,the
daily prayers.
Ihtiyātwājib:Sometimesyoumight seethe term“ihtiyāt wājib” inthe
decrees ofthe mujtahids. Itmeans “precautionarilyobligatory” andits
significance is the same as that of the wājib with one difference:
whereverthe mujtahid saysthat “itisprecautionarily obligatory,” you
havetheoptionofleavinghisopinioninthatparticularproblemandfol-
lowing the opinion of the second best mujtahid provided the second
mujtahid has a different opinion.
Wājibis also divided into two:‘ayniandkifā’i:Wājib ‘aynimeans an obligation which is imposed on individual
Muslims,e.g.,the daily prayers. No one cando thisduty forsomeone
else.
Whereaswājib kifā’imeans an obligation which is imposed on the
Muslimcommunityasawhole;andifitisfulfilledbyoneormoreindi-
viduals,thentherestofthecommunityisnolongerrequiredtodothat.
Forexample,adeadMuslimmustbeburiedintheproperIslamicway.
Thisisaduty imposedonthe Muslimcommunitycollectively;ifsome
peopledothat,thenothersarenotresponsible; butifnoonedoesthat,
then the entire community is answerable to God.
2.Mustahab, also known assunnat, means recommended, desirable,
better.Itreferstotheactswhicharerecommendedbutnotwajib.Ifone
neglectsthem,hewillnotbepunished;however,ifone performsthem,
he will be rewarded.
3.Jā’izmeans permitted, allowed, lawful. An actwhich is permitted
andlawful;thereisnorewardforperformingitnoranypunishmentfor
neglecting it, e.g., drinking tea.