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
Haram (Forbidden)
Actions that are strictly forbidden in Islamic law.
Sujud al-Tilawah (Prostration of Recitation)
A prostration performed when reciting or hearing specific Quranic verses.
Sahih al-Bukhari (Bukhari's Authentic Collection)
The most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam al-Bukhari.
Nubuwwah (Prophethood)
Belief in prophethood — the third article of faith in Shia Islam.
Qiyam (Standing Position)
The standing position in prayer, during which the Quran is recited.
Salat al-Layl (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer consisting of 11 rak'ah, highly recommended in Shia Islam.