Ijma' (Consensus)
Agreement among Islamic scholars on a legal question, considered the third source of Islamic law.
Ijma' (consensus) is the third source of Islamic jurisprudence after the Quran and the Sunnah. It refers to the agreement among qualified Islamic scholars (mujtahidun) on a legal question in a given period. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "My community will never agree upon an error" (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Regarding prayer, there is ijma' on many fundamental aspects: that the five daily prayers are obligatory, that wudu is a prerequisite, that the prayer must be performed facing the qibla, and that the prayer has specific pillars (arkan) such as qiyam, ruku, and sujud. These matters are not subject to disagreement among the scholars.
Imam al-Shafi'i was the first to systematically define ijma' as a legal source in his "al-Risalah." There is, however, disagreement about who should participate in ijma': some require all scholars in the entire Muslim community, while others accept the scholars of a particular region or period.
Related terms
Barakah (Blessing)
Divine blessing and abundance, obtained through worship and good deeds.
Ruku (Bowing)
Bowing from the waist during prayer as a sign of humility.
Muezzin (Caller to Prayer)
The person who calls to prayer by reciting the adhan.
Muwalat (Continuity in Prayer)
The requirement of continuous and coherent performance of the prayer's parts.
Janamaz (Prayer Rug)
The prayer rug that the worshipper uses to mark a clean prayer area.
Al-Kafi (The Sufficient)
The most important Shia hadith collection, with extensive chapters on prayer.