Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)
Legal analogy used to derive Islamic rules for new situations based on established rules.
Qiyas is the fourth source of Islamic jurisprudence after the Quran, the Sunnah, and ijma' (consensus). It is a method of analogical reasoning where a legal rule for a new situation is derived by identifying a common cause ('illah) with an already regulated situation.
In prayer legislation, qiyas is used, for example, to establish rules for situations not directly mentioned in the Quran or Sunnah. Imam Abu Hanifah was the most prominent advocate of qiyas. Imam al-Shafi'i formalized the qiyas methodology in his "al-Risalah" with strict conditions for its valid application.
Not all schools of law accept qiyas to the same degree. The Zahiri school rejected qiyas entirely, while the Hanbali school used it sparingly. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: "I do not use qiyas unless it is absolutely necessary." The discussion about the role of qiyas is fundamental to understanding why the different schools of law can reach different conclusions from the same sacred texts.
Related terms
Raf' al-Yadayn (Raising the Hands)
The practice of raising the hands to the shoulders or ears at specific points in the prayer.
Rawatib (Regular Sunnah Prayers)
The voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and after the obligatory prayers.
Ihsan (Excellence)
The highest level of worship: to worship Allah as if one can see Him.
Sahih Muslim (Muslim's Authentic Collection)
The second most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj.
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
Karbala (Imam Husayn's City)
The sacred city in Iraq where Imam Husayn was martyred, and home of the turbah.