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
Iman (Faith)
Belief in Allah's oneness, His angels, books, messengers, the Day of Judgment, and divine predestination.
Salat al-Mayyit (Funeral Prayer)
The prayer for the deceased, performed before the burial.
Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse)
The mighty verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255), describing Allah's omnipotence.
Al-Kafi (The Sufficient)
The most important Shia hadith collection, with extensive chapters on prayer.
Karbala (Imam Husayn's City)
The sacred city in Iraq where Imam Husayn was martyred, and home of the turbah.
Nahj al-Balagha (The Peak of Eloquence)
Imam Ali's collection of sermons and wise sayings, central to Shia prayer tradition.