IJMA’ (CONSENSUS). Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem2 ATOMOLOGY Ijma’ ( إجماع ) is an Arabic word derived

IJMA’ IJMA’ (CONSENSUS)(CONSENSUS)

Tuesday, April 18, 2023Islamic & Religious Studies

Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem 2

ATOMOLOGYATOMOLOGY

Ijma’Ijma’ ( (إجماعإجماع) ) is an is an Arabic wordArabic word derived from an Arabic consonantal derived from an Arabic consonantal

rootroot “ “ ع م ع ج م ””جWhich means:Which means:

(1)(1) AssemblyAssembly

(2)(2) Gathering togetherGathering together

(3)(3) To add togetherTo add together

(4)(4) UnanimityUnanimity



DEFINITIONDEFINITION

““Ijma’ is a Ijma’ is a unanimousunanimous agreementagreement of of Muslim Muslim Jurists/ ScholarsJurists/ Scholars of the community of a of the community of a particular ageparticular age on a certain religious issue on a certain religious issue which has no clear verdict or more than one which has no clear verdict or more than one possible interpretation in Quran and Sunnah”possible interpretation in Quran and Sunnah”

AUTHENTICITYAUTHENTICITYIjma’Ijma’ and and QiyasQiyas are are secondary sourcessecondary sources of of

Islamic Shariah, yet Ijma’ has Islamic Shariah, yet Ijma’ has superiorsuperior status than Qiyas and status than Qiyas and inferiorinferior status than status than

Quran and Sunnah/ HadithQuran and Sunnah/ Hadith

An Important Point:An Important Point:

Ijma’ in its spirit is like democratic Ijma’ in its spirit is like democratic principle which says that all decisions are principle which says that all decisions are to be made on the basis of to be made on the basis of “Majority”“Majority”

Therefore, a perfect Ijma’ is Therefore, a perfect Ijma’ is possiblepossible but but difficultdifficult to achieve to achieve because of the because of the divergence in religious viewsdivergence in religious views. .

Thus Ijma’ does not mean that there are Thus Ijma’ does not mean that there are no different views after conducting Ijma’ no different views after conducting Ijma’ but that agreement exists among but that agreement exists among a great a great majority of Muslims.majority of Muslims.





DETAILSDETAILS

Time of Ijma’:Time of Ijma’:

(1)(1) After the demise of Holy After the demise of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)Prophet (S.A.W.)

(2)(2) When no explicit instructions When no explicit instructions concerning a new issue can be concerning a new issue can be found in Quran and Sunnah/ found in Quran and Sunnah/ HadithHadith



Foundations of Ijma’:Foundations of Ijma’:

(1)(1) Quran Quran

(2)(2) Sunnah/ Hadith Sunnah/ Hadith

(3)(3) ReasonReason



CONDITIONSCONDITIONS

(1)(1) It must not be against QuranIt must not be against Quran

(2)(2) It must not be against Sunnah/ It must not be against Sunnah/ HadithHadith

(3)(3) It must not be against any set It must not be against any set principle of Islamprinciple of Islam

(4)(4) It must not be against spirit of It must not be against spirit of IslamIslam



KINDS OF IJMA’KINDS OF IJMA’

(1)(1) Ijma’-e-Sahaba:Ijma’-e-Sahaba: (Unanimity of the (Unanimity of the Companions of Holy Prophet Companions of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)(S.A.W.)

(2)(2) Ijma’-e-Tabieen: Ijma’-e-Tabieen: (Unanimity of the (Unanimity of the Companions of the Companions of Companions of the Companions of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)

(3)(3) Ijma’-e-Foqaha: Ijma’-e-Foqaha: (Unanimity of the (Unanimity of the Muslim Jurists)Muslim Jurists)

(4)(4) Ijma’-e-Ummah: Ijma’-e-Ummah: (Unanimity of the (Unanimity of the Muslim nation)Muslim nation)



EXAMPLES (1)EXAMPLES (1)

Ijma’ concerning issues which have Ijma’ concerning issues which have no clear Verdict in Shariahno clear Verdict in Shariah

(1)(1)Compilation of Holy QuranCompilation of Holy Quran

(2)(2)Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A.) Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A.) after demise of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)after demise of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)

(3)(3)Jihad against defaulters of Zakat in Jihad against defaulters of Zakat in the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakar the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A.)(R.A.)

EXAMPLES (2)EXAMPLES (2)

Ijma’ concerning issues which Ijma’ concerning issues which have more than one possible have more than one possible interpretations in Shariahinterpretations in Shariah

Culmination of Prophet hoodCulmination of Prophet hood





REFERENCESREFERENCES

HOLY QURANHOLY QURAN

(1)(1) ““O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ), and those the Messenger (Muhammad ), and those of you (Muslims) who are in of you (Muslims) who are in authority. authority. (And) if you differ in (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messengerto Allah and His Messenger,, if you if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final is better and more suitable for final determination”determination”

(An-Nisa Ayah 59)(An-Nisa Ayah 59)



Continuation…Continuation…(2) “And whoever contradicts and (2) “And whoever contradicts and

opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the after the right path has been shown has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than clearly to him, and follows other than the the believers' waybelievers' way, We shall keep him , We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination” him in Hell - what an evil destination” (An-Nisa Ayah 115)(An-Nisa Ayah 115)

Commentators of the Quran agree that Commentators of the Quran agree that Ijma’Ijma’ is is meant by the phrase of meant by the phrase of “believers’ way” “believers’ way” in above in above

mentioned Ayahmentioned Ayah



HADITHHADITH

مع الله ويد أمتيعلىضاللة، يجمع ال الله مع إن الله ويد أمتيعلىضاللة، يجمع ال الله إنالنار في شذ ومنشذ النار الجماعة، في شذ ومنشذ الجماعة،

Translation:Translation:

““Allah will never make my whole Ummah Allah will never make my whole Ummah unanimous on deviation, Allah’s favour is unanimous on deviation, Allah’s favour is

with majority and whosoever will get with majority and whosoever will get separate from (Muslim) majority, gets separate from (Muslim) majority, gets

separate in the hell”separate in the hell”



Continuation…Continuation…

رأيتم فإذا ، علىضاللة تجتمع ال أمتي رأيتم إن فإذا ، علىضاللة تجتمع ال أمتي إناألعظم بالسواد فعليكم األعظم اختالفا بالسواد فعليكم اختالفا

Translation:Translation:

““My whole Ummah will never be My whole Ummah will never be unanimous on deviation, so when unanimous on deviation, so when

you see difference in opinions, so it you see difference in opinions, so it is binding upon you to be the part of is binding upon you to be the part of

(Muslim) majority”(Muslim) majority”

Continuation…Continuation…

““Follow the majority of the Ummah. Follow the majority of the Ummah. Whosoever will get separation from Whosoever will get separation from

[Muslim majority] will be sent to [Muslim majority] will be sent to hell” hell”



Documents

IJMA’ (CONSENSUS). Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Islamic & Religious Studies Instructor: Prof. Abid Naeem2 ATOMOLOGY Ijma’ ( إجماع ) is an Arabic word derived