termPage.definition
All that Allah legislated for His servants — beliefs, worship, manners, and rulings. Broader than fiqh, which is the human understanding of the Sharī‘ah.
termPage.pronunciation sha-RĪ-‘ah
termPage.etymologyHeading
From the root ش-ر-ع (sh-r-‘), originally meaning 'a path leading to water' — the source of life. The Sharī‘ah is the path Allah laid down leading to salvation.
termPage.usageInQuran
'Then We placed you upon a sharī‘ah from the matter, so follow it.' (al-Jāthiyah 45:18)
termPage.scholarlyNotes
Scholars list five universal aims (maqāṣid) the Sharī‘ah preserves: religion, life, intellect, lineage, and wealth. Every detailed ruling traces back to protecting one of these.
termPage.commonMisconceptions
Many reduce 'Sharī‘ah' in modern discourse to ḥudūd punishments. In reality, it is the entire revealed way of life — most of which is worship, conduct, and personal ethics.
termPage.practicalApplication
Submit to the Sharī‘ah in matters small and large; do not pick what suits desire and reject what does not.
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termPage.relatedTerms
termPage.moreFrom
Fasting — fourth pillar of Islam.
Circumambulating the Ka‘bah seven times.
Obligatory annual charity — third pillar of Islam.
Permissible in the Sharī‘ah.
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar — month of obligatory fasting.
Scholarly effort to derive rulings from evidence.