IJMA’ (CONSENSUS)

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem2 ATOMOLOGY Ijma’ ( إجماع ) is an Arabic word derived from an Arabic consonantal root “ ج م ع ” Ijma’ ( إجماع ) is an Arabic word derived from an Arabic consonantal root “ ج م ع ” Which means: (1) Assembly (2) Gathering together (3) To add together (4) Unanimity

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem3 DEFINITION “Ijma’ is a unanimous agreement of Muslim Jurists/ Scholars of the community of a particular age on a certain religious issue which has no clear verdict or more than one possible interpretation in Quran and Sunnah” AUTHENTICITY Ijma’ and Qiyas are secondary sources of Islamic Shariah, yet Ijma’ has superior status than Qiyas and inferior status than Quran and Sunnah/ Hadith

An Important Point: Ijma’ in its spirit is like democratic principle which says that all decisions are to be made on the basis of “Majority” Ijma’ in its spirit is like democratic principle which says that all decisions are to be made on the basis of “Majority” Therefore, a perfect Ijma’ is possible but difficult to achieve because of the divergence in religious views. Therefore, a perfect Ijma’ is possible but difficult to achieve because of the divergence in religious views. Thus Ijma’ does not mean that there are no different views after conducting Ijma’ but that agreement exists among a great majority of Muslims. Thus Ijma’ does not mean that there are no different views after conducting Ijma’ but that agreement exists among a great majority of Muslims. Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem4

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem5 DETAILS Time of Ijma’: (1) After the demise of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) (2) When no explicit instructions concerning a new issue can be found in Quran and Sunnah/ Hadith

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem6 Foundations of Ijma’: (1) Quran (2) Sunnah/ Hadith (3) Reason

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem7 CONDITIONS (1) It must not be against Quran (2) It must not be against Sunnah/ Hadith (3) It must not be against any set principle of Islam (4) It must not be against spirit of Islam

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem8 KINDS OF IJMA’ (1) Ijma’-e-Sahaba: (Unanimity of the Companions of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) (2) Ijma’-e-Tabieen: (Unanimity of the Companions of the Companions of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) (3) Ijma’-e-Foqaha: (Unanimity of the Muslim Jurists) (4) Ijma’-e-Ummah: (Unanimity of the Muslim nation)

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem9 EXAMPLES (1) Ijma’ concerning issues which have no clear Verdict in Shariah (1) Compilation of Holy Quran (2) Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A.) after demise of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) (3) Jihad against defaulters of Zakat in the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A.)

EXAMPLES (2) Ijma’ concerning issues which have more than one possible interpretations in Shariah Culmination of Prophet hood Culmination of Prophet hood Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem10

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem11 REFERENCES HOLY QURAN (1) “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination” (An-Nisa Ayah 59)

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem12 Continuation… (2) “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination” (An-Nisa Ayah 115) (2) “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination” (An-Nisa Ayah 115) Commentators of the Quran agree that Ijma’ is meant by the phrase of “believers’ way” in above mentioned Ayah Commentators of the Quran agree that Ijma’ is meant by the phrase of “believers’ way” in above mentioned Ayah

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem13 HADITH إن الله لا يجمع أمتي على ضلالة، ويد الله مع الجماعة، ومن شذ شذ في النار Translation: “Allah will never make my whole Ummah unanimous on deviation, Allah’s favour is with majority and whosoever will get separate from (Muslim) majority, gets separate in the hell”

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem14 Continuation… إن أمتي لا تجتمع على ضلالة ، فإذا رأيتم اختلافا فعليكم بالسواد الأعظم Translation: “My whole Ummah will never be unanimous on deviation, so when you see difference in opinions, so it is binding upon you to be the part of (Muslim) majority”

Continuation… “Follow the majority of the Ummah. Whosoever will get separation from [Muslim majority] will be sent to hell” “Follow the majority of the Ummah. Whosoever will get separation from [Muslim majority] will be sent to hell” Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem15