What is Sharia Law?
Q: What is Sharia Law?
A: Sharia, or Islamic law, is a set of religious principles that form part of the Islamic culture. It refers to the revealed law of God and originally meant "way" or "path". Classical sharia deals with many aspects of public and private life, including religious rituals, family life, business, crimes, and warfare.
Q: How was Sharia interpreted in former times?
A: In former times, sharia was interpreted by independent jurists who based their legal opinions on Qur'an, Hadith and centuries of debate, interpretation and precedent.
Q: What parts of Sharia can be described as "law"?
A: Some parts of sharia can be described as "law" in the usual sense of that word while other parts are better understood as rules for living life in accordance with God's will.
Q: Do modern countries in the Muslim world have their own laws?
A: Yes, modern countries in the Muslim world all have their own laws. In most cases only a small part of the legal system is based on classical sharia.
Q: How should Sharia be applied in the modern world?
A: Muslims disagree on how sharia should be applied in the modern world.
Q: What does 'sharīʿah' mean?
A: The Arabic word sharīʿah (Arabic شريعة) refers to the revealed law of God and originally meant "way" or "path".
Q: What aspects does classical Sharia cover?
A: Classical sharia covers many aspects such as religious rituals, family life, business transactions, crimes and warfare.
