Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)
The Islamic legal science that derives practical rules from the Quran and Sunnah.
Fiqh literally means "deep understanding" and refers to Islamic jurisprudence — the systematic derivation of practical rules from the Quran, the Sunnah, ijma' (consensus), and qiyas (analogy). Fiqh covers all aspects of Muslim life, from worship ('ibadat) to social relations (mu'amalat).
Prayer rules (fiqh al-salah) constitute one of the most detailed parts of fiqh. They cover the prayer's conditions (shurut), pillars (arkan), obligations (wajibat), sunnah acts, and invalidating factors (mubtilat). Each school of law has its own detailed set of rules based on their interpretation of the sources.
Imam Abu Hanifah said: "Fiqh is knowing the soul's rights and obligations." Al-Shafi'i defined fiqh as "knowledge of the practical shariah rules derived from their detailed evidence." The great fiqh works such as al-Hidayah (Hanafi), al-Mudawwanah (Maliki), al-Umm (Shafi'i), and al-Mughni (Hanbali) are still studied today as foundational texts in Islamic jurisprudence.
Related terms
Mustahab (Recommended)
Actions that are recommended but not obligatory, and that give extra reward.
Salat al-Qada (Makeup Prayer)
Prayers that are made up after their time has expired.
Amr bil-Ma'ruf wa Nahy 'an al-Munkar
Enjoining good and forbidding evil — an Islamic duty connected with prayer.
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
Fajr (Dawn Prayer)
The first of the five daily prayers, performed at dawn.
Tilawah (Quran Recitation)
Recitation of the Quran, which is a central part of prayer and daily worship.