MCQ Detailed View

Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence) is the body of Islamic laws derived from primary and secondary sources. The first source is the Quran, the divine revelation and ultimate authority in Islam. The second source is the Sunnah (the sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ), which explains and elaborates the Quranic injunctions.

After these two primary sources, scholars recognized Ijma (consensus) as the third source of Islamic law. Ijma refers to the unanimous agreement of the Muslim Ummah’s qualified scholars (Mujtahideen) on a particular legal ruling in a given era. It plays a vital role in ensuring unity in interpretation when direct evidence from the Quran and Sunnah is not explicit.

The legitimacy of Ijma is supported by the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:
"My Ummah will never agree upon an error." (Ibn Majah)
This indicates that when all authentic scholars agree upon a ruling, it is considered a binding proof.

Types of Ijma include:

1. 
   

   Ijma’ Sarih – Explicit consensus where all scholars openly agree.

   
   


2. 
   

   Ijma’ Sukuti – Tacit consensus where some scholars remain silent while others agree.

   
   

The importance of Ijma lies in addressing new issues that arise with time—such as modern financial systems, medical ethics, or technological advancements—while maintaining the spirit of Shariah.

Key Facts:

• 
  

  Order of Islamic Law Sources: 1) Quran, 2) Sunnah, 3) Ijma, 4) Qiyas.

  
  


• 
  

  Ijma ensures unity in Muslim legal practice and prevents contradictory rulings.

  
  


• 
  

  Recognized by all four major Sunni schools of thought.

  
  


• 
  

  Protects Islamic law from distortion by basing new rulings on established principles.

  
  

Thus, Ijma acts as a collective reasoning process that safeguards the consistency and authenticity of Islamic jurisprudence throughout generations.