Islamic Jurisprudence, or Fiqh, refers to the study and understanding of Islamic law derived from the primary sources of Islam: the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It encompasses the legal, social, and moral codes that govern the lives of Muslims. Islamic Jurisprudence explains how the laws in the Quran and Sunnah are applied to modern issues and provides principles to resolve new challenges.
Why Study Islamic Jurisprudence?
Understanding the Roots of Law:
It helps law graduates understand the foundation of many legal principles, especially in countries where Islamic law influences legislation.
Relevance in Legal Practice:
Knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence is essential for dealing with personal, family, and criminal laws influenced by Sharia.
Critical Thinking:
It teaches the process of deriving laws through reasoning (Ijtihad) and consensus (Ijma).
Professional Need:
In Pakistan, many laws are derived from Islamic principles, making it essential for legal professionals to have expertise in this area.
Important Multiple Choice Questions MCQs
- Who is considered the “father of Islamic Jurisprudence”?
a) imam abu hanifa
b) imam malik
c) imam shafi’i
d) imam ahmad bin hanbal
answer: a) imam abu hanifa - What is the meaning of the term fiqh?
a) tradition
b) understanding
c) consensus
d) reasoning
answer: b) understanding - Which is the primary source of Islamic law?
a) quran
b) sunnah
c) ijma
d) qiyas
answer: a) quran - What does ijma mean in Islamic jurisprudence?
a) individual reasoning
b) consensus of opinion
c) analogy
d) divine revelation
answer: b) consensus of opinion - what is qiyas?
a) deduction by analogy
b) consensus of scholars
c) direct revelation
d) moral judgment
answer: a) deduction by analogy - Which school of thought is predominant in Pakistan?
a) hanafi
b) shafi’i
c) maliki
d) hanbali
answer: a) hanafi - Who compiled the muwatta, one of the earliest collections of hadith and jurisprudence?
a) imam abu hanifa
b) imam malik
c) imam shafi’i
d) imam ahmad bin hanbal
answer: b) imam malik - What does istihsan refer to in islamic law?
a) consensus
b) public interest
c) juristic preference
d) analogical deduction
answer: c) juristic preference - Which source of law addresses situations not explicitly mentioned in the quran or sunnah?
a) istihsan
b) qiyas
c) istidlal
d) urf
answer: b) qiyas - What does urf mean in islamic jurisprudence?
a) custom or tradition
b) analogy
c) reasoning
d) public welfare
answer: a) custom or tradition
- What is istislah in islamic jurisprudence?
a) juristic preference
b) public interest
c) analogy
d) consensus
answer: b) public interest - What is the literal meaning of sharia?
a) tradition
b) path to follow
c) law
d) reasoning
answer: b) path to follow - Which principle allows flexibility in islamic law to cater to public welfare?
a) ijma
b) istislah
c) qiyas
d) istihsan
answer: b) istislah - Which school of thought emphasizes strict adherence to hadith over analogical reasoning?
a) hanafi
b) hanbali
c) maliki
d) shafi’i
answer: b) hanbali - Who was the founder of the shafi’i school of thought?
a) imam abu hanifa
b) imam shafi’i
c) imam malik
d) imam ahmad bin hanbal
answer: b) imam shafi’i - What is fatwa?
a) a divine law
b) a legal opinion by a qualified scholar
c) consensus of scholars
d) a binding law
answer: b) a legal opinion by a qualified scholar - In islamic jurisprudence, what is ijtihad?
a) legal analogy
b) effort to derive rulings
c) consensus of scholars
d) collection of traditions
answer: b) effort to derive rulings - What does hudood refer to in islamic law?
a) permissible acts
b) prescribed punishments
c) recommended deeds
d) private disputes
answer: b) prescribed punishments - The concept of darura (necessity) allows:
a) ignoring islamic laws
b) flexibility in extreme situations
c) rewriting sharia
d) consensus on traditions
answer: b) flexibility in extreme situations - What is the main focus of the maliki school of thought?
a) analogy and reasoning
b) customs of the people of medina
c) strict adherence to hadith
d) flexibility in rulings
answer: b) customs of the people of medina - What does the term maqasid al-sharia mean?
a) sources of islamic law
b) objectives of islamic law
c) punishments in islam
d) schools of thought
answer: b) objectives of islamic law - The principle of dar al-harb refers to:
a) land of war
b) land of peace
c) a legal contract
d) consensus among scholars
answer: a) land of war - Who compiled the musnad, a famous hadith collection?
a) imam abu hanifa
b) imam malik
c) imam shafi’i
d) imam ahmad bin hanbal
answer: d) imam ahmad bin hanbal - What is the meaning of haraam in islamic jurisprudence?
a) permissible
b) forbidden
c) recommended
d) discouraged
answer: b) forbidden - What is the opposite of haraam in islamic law?
a) fard
b) halal
c) mustahab
d) mubah
answer: b) halal - Which term describes obligatory acts in islam?
a) sunnah
b) fard
c) mubah
d) mustahab
answer: b) fard - Which Islamic scholar is known for writing al-umm?
a) imam malik
b) imam shafi’i
c) imam ahmad bin hanbal
d) imam abu hanifa
answer: b) imam shafi’i - What does tazir refer to?
a) discretionary punishment
b) fixed punishment
c) public welfare
d) analogy
answer: a) discretionary punishment - What is fiqh al-muamalat?
a) law of worship
b) law of transactions
c) law of inheritance
d) law of punishments
answer: b) law of transactions - What is fiqh al-ibadat?
a) law of worship
b) law of transactions
c) law of inheritance
d) law of punishments
answer: a) law of worship - What does aqeedah deal with in islam?
a) faith and belief
b) criminal law
c) inheritance
d) public transactions
answer: a) faith and belief - What is the term for prohibited means of earning in islamic law?
a) halal
b) haram
c) makruh
d) sunnah
answer: b) haram - What is jihad in islamic jurisprudence?
a) personal effort for self-improvement
b) war only
c) punishment
d) consensus
answer: a) personal effort for self-improvement - What is waqf?
a) a gift
b) endowment for public welfare
c) inheritance
d) legal punishment
answer: b) endowment for public welfare - The principle of la darar wa la dirar means:
a) no harm and no reciprocating harm
b) analogical deduction
c) no reward without effort
d) divine revelation
answer: a) no harm and no reciprocating harm - What does shura mean in islam?
a) consultation
b) punishment
c) reasoning
d) consensus
answer: a) consultation - What is fasakh in islamic law?
a) divorce initiated by a woman
b) male-initiated divorce
c) mutual divorce
d) financial compensation
answer: a) divorce initiated by a woman - In Islamic law, who has the right to inherit under the law of faraid?
a) only male relatives
b) all legitimate heirs
c) only immediate family
d) only females
answer: b) all legitimate heirs - What does halal mean in islamic law?
a) prohibited
b) permissible
c) discouraged
d) obligatory
answer: b) permissible - What is qada in islamic jurisprudence?
a) the fulfillment of an obligation
b) discretionary punishment
c) consensus
d) public welfare
answer: a) the fulfillment of an obligation
- What does ijma signify in islamic jurisprudence?
a) reasoning through analogy
b) consensus of scholars
c) personal effort
d) independent reasoning
answer: b) consensus of scholars - What is the term for an analogy used to derive Islamic laws?
a) qiyas
b) ijma
c) istihsan
d) urf
answer: a) qiyas - Which of the following is considered a secondary source of islamic law?
a) quran
b) sunnah
c) ijma
d) hadith
answer: c) ijma - What does makruh mean in islamic jurisprudence?
a) obligatory
b) disliked but not forbidden
c) recommended
d) permissible
answer: b) disliked but not forbidden - Which source of islamic law refers to the consensus of the companions of the prophet (pbuh)?
a) qiyas
b) ijma
c) istihsan
d) hadith
answer: b) ijma - What does the term maslahah refer to in Islamic jurisprudence?
a) public interest or welfare
b) punishment for crime
c) analogy and reasoning
d) law of inheritance
answer: a) public interest or welfare - What is the term for repentance in islamic law?
a) tawbah
b) taqlid
c) tazir
d) qiyas
answer: a) tawbah - Which school of thought heavily relies on customary practices as a source of law?
a) hanafi
b) maliki
c) shafi’i
d) hanbali
answer: b) maliki - What does taqlid mean in Islamic jurisprudence?
a) following a particular juristic school
b) effort to derive new rulings
c) consultation among scholars
d) seeking divine inspiration
answer: a) following a particular juristic school - What is ijtihad primarily used for in Islamic jurisprudence?
a) resolving contemporary issues
b) enforcing punishments
c) prohibiting actions
d) interpreting the quran literally
answer: a) resolving contemporary issue