READING : SHARI’AH : The Path of Allah

Shari’ah literally means the road to a watering place, hence the path of Allah. It is the body of
revealed laws primarily found both in the Holly Qur’an and in the Sunnah. The aim of the Shari’ah is
to make people happier in this world and the hereafter. In line with this, a Muslim’s life is ruled in its
entirely by the Shari’ah, which spells out the precise rules and regulations governing individual
relations with Allah as well as with fellow Muslims and non-Muslims. Thus, it embraces ideally both
the religious and non-religious activities of the Muslims. Bearing in mind the unique character of
Islam as a religion and complete code of life, Shari’ah is the law according which Allah wants a
Muslim to live. Shari’ah has a comprehensive public law that covers both constitution and
international affairs. Likewise, it has a private law that covers both criminal and civil matters. It is
fundamentally a doctrine of acts and obligation based entirely on revealed sources-namely the Holly
Qur’an and the Sunnah. It has a complete way of life towards which the individual and society must
strive.

The sources of Shari’ah, as generally believed, fall into two main categories: the primary sources, as
already mentoned, the Holly Qur’an, and the Sunnah, about which no schools of Islam disagree
upon, the secondary sources are Ijma or consensus and Ijtihad or reasoning. The primacy of the
Holly Qur’an and the Sunnah, over all other sources, can be inferred, among other things,in one of
the Prophet’s tradition. When Muadh Ibn Jabal was appointed as the governor and judge of Yaman,
the Prophet is reported to have asked him as to how he would decide matters coming up before
him. “I will judge matters according to the Book of Allah,” said Muadh. “But if the Book of Allah
contains nothing to guide you?” ”Then I will act upon the precedents of the Prophet of Allah:.” “But
if the precedents of the Prophet of Allah fail?” “Then I will exert to form of our own judgment.”

Since the Shari’ah is believed to be Allah’s law for the entire community, indeed for all humankind.
In the final analysis Allah is sovereign ruler of the world and its sole legislator. Since the Shari’ah is
concerned with what a Muslim ought to do or ought not to do, all acts are ethically categorized as:
obligatory, recommended, in different or permissible, reprehensive, but not forbidden, and
forbidden. To break the Shari’ah is transgression against both society and Allah; a crime and a sin;
the guilty are subject to punishment in this world and the hereafter.

Important Vocabularies :

Bring in mind – Mempertimbangkan

Disagree – Tidak setuju hukum yang diwahyukan

School – Madzhab

Spell out – Menerangkan

Judge – Hakim

Character – Sifat

Exert – Menggunakan

Rule – Aturan, mengatur

Sovereign – Berdaulat

Entirely – Secara keseluruhan

Obligatory – Wajib

Govern – Mengatur

Recommended – sunah

Code of life – Aturan hidup

Permissible – Mubah

Way of life – Filsafat hidup, cara hidup

Reprehensive nut not forbidden – Makruh

Cover – Mencakup

Forbidden – Dilarang, haram

Literally – Secara harfiah

Hereafter – Akhirat

Path of God – Jalan atau agama Allah

Embraces – Meliputi

Strive – Berusaha keras

Transgression – Pelanggar, orang yang berdosa

Break the rule – Melanggar hukam, aturan

Guilty – Bersalah

Fellow – Muslim, saudara sesama muslim

Punishment – Hukuman

Question to Answer:

1. What is the literal meaning of Shari’ah?

2. What is the principal meaning of Shari’ah?

3. Mention one out of the two aims of the Shari’ah?

4. How should a Muslim live a life?

5. Could mention all the sources of the Shari’ah in Islam?

6. Which are the sources of the Shari’ah held by all school of Islamic law?

7. Who appointed Muadh Ibn Jabal as the governor?

8. Mention al-ahkam al-khamsah is the Shari’ah?

9. Who is the sovereign over this world?

10. Could write in Arabic the Prophet tradition mentioned in the text?