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
Mafatih al-Jinan (Keys to Paradise)
The most widely used Shia prayer book, compiled by Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi.
Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse)
The mighty verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255), describing Allah's omnipotence.
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam, obligatory for every Muslim with the ability.
Wudu (Ritual Ablution)
The ritual cleansing with water, required before prayer.
Tasbihat al-Zahra (Fatimah's Tasbih)
A special dhikr consisting of 34+33+33 repetitions, taught by the Prophet to his daughter Fatimah.
Masjid (Mosque)
The Islamic house of worship, where Muslims gather for congregational prayer.