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
Tawaf (Circumambulation of the Kaaba)
The ritual of walking seven times around the Kaaba counterclockwise as part of Hajj and Umrah.
Zakat (Alms)
The obligatory alms that the Quran mentions alongside prayer.
Nubuwwah (Prophethood)
Belief in prophethood — the third article of faith in Shia Islam.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Qibla (Prayer Direction)
The direction toward the Kaaba in Mecca, which Muslims face during 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.