The sources of the religion of Islam are four:
(1) Kitab Allah Azza wa Jall
(2) Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
(3) Ijma (consensus)
(4) Qiyas (analogy)
And these principles, rules and sources are derived and deduced from evidences based on the texts of the Book and the Sunnah itself. Imam Darimi and Bayhaqi narrated from Maymun ibn Mihran that when a matter came before Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), if he found its solution in the Book of Allah he would decide by it; if not, he would look for it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; if he found a solution there he would decide by it; if not, he would ask the people, “Does anyone know of a command or decision of the Prophet ﷺ on this matter?” It also happened that someone would have knowledge of a hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and would report it, and he would decide accordingly. If he found no decision, he would gather the senior Companions and consult them, and if they agreed on a decision, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would decide accordingly.
Abdullah ibn Abi Yazid said that when Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about a matter, if he found it in the Noble Qur’an he would answer from it. If not, and he found it in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he would answer from it. If not, and he found it in the sayings and fatawa of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), he would answer from it; otherwise he would answer by his own ijtihad.
Kitab Allah Azza wa Jall:
The Qur’an of Allah is the first source of the Islamic Shariah, a complete code of life, a beacon of guidance whose luminous light will continue to guide mankind until the Day of Resurrection. Storms will blow, tempests will rise, great conspiracies will be hatched, but until the Resurrection comes, this Qur’an will remain without the slightest alteration or distortion. The Almighty says:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.”
The exegetes write that the second part of the verse, وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ, indicates that Allah will continue to preserve this Qur’an until the Day of Resurrection.
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said that in matters of Shariah rulings, and those matters in which apparent knowledge has no role, there are five principles of evidence:
● First Principle:
The Book of Allah. And he would recite this verse:
مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ
“We have not neglected anything in the Book.”
● Second Principle:
The hadith and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. And as evidence he would recite this verse:
فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ
“If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger.”
Referring it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ after his death means referring it to his Sunnah. He would also narrate the hadith عليكم بسنتي (“Hold fast to my Sunnah”), and recite this noble verse:
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا
“Take what the Messenger gives you, and abstain from what he forbids you.”
● Third Principle:
The consensus of the scholars of any era, provided they do not disagree among themselves. If even one scholar among them differs, consensus is not established. One form of consensus is that a statement of some scholars becomes well known, others come to know of it, but no one denies it.
The first level is the consensus of the Companions; later people are to follow it.
● Fourth Principle:
The statement of a single Companion that is well known among the people, and on which no other Companion objected.
● Fifth Principle:
Qiyas (analogy). Qiyas means that when the Shariah ruling of a matter is established, applying the same ruling to another similar matter on the basis of a shared cause; and if the two matters have no shared cause, qiyas is not permissible.
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) regarded such qiyas as permissible, yet he still considered qiyas, in cases of necessity among the evidences, like eating carrion when in need or performing tayammum with earth when there is no water.
Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is the second source of the Islamic Shariah. The responsibility for explaining and interpreting the Book of Allah fell upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When the Qur’an was revealed to him, he would clarify it. Allah the Exalted says:
وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۙ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
“And We have sent down to you the Book only so that you may make clear to them that about which they differ, and as a guidance and mercy for a people who believe.”
It is thus established that the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ is, in reality, an explanation of the Noble Qur’an. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«من أطاعني فقد أطاع الله، ومن عصاني فقد عصى الله، ومن أطاع أميري فقد أطاعني، ومن عصى أمري فقد عصاني.»
“Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah, and whoever obeys my amir has obeyed me, and whoever disobeys my amir has disobeyed me.”
The incident of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him serves as a clear witness to this. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him said:
“Allah has cursed the women who tattoo and the women who get tattooed, the women who pluck out facial hair, and the women who make spaces between their front teeth for beauty, who alter the creation of Allah.”
A woman came to him and said: “O Ibn Mas’ud! I have read the entire Qur’an, but I have not found any curse upon such a woman in the Qur’an.” Ibn Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him said: “If you had read it, you would surely have found it.” The woman replied that she had read the whole Qur’an but there is no curse in it. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him said: “Did you not read this verse?”
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
“And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.” She said: “Yes, of course.”
It is also narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him that when this verse was revealed:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
“Those who believe and have not mixed their belief with wrongdoing, for them is security, and they are the ones who are guided.”
All the Muslims became worried and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Who among us has not done any wrong?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: that in this verse, “wrongdoing” means shirk. Have you not heard the advice of Luqman, peace be upon him, to his son: “O my son! Do not associate anything with Allah, for shirk is indeed a great wrongdoing.”
