Sharia and fiqh
From Islamic law
Religious and customary law
What it means
Sharia is the divine path, as revealed in the Quran and the example of the Prophet. Fiqh is the human effort of scholars to work out, from those sources, what the rules are in particular cases.
Why it travels badly
English speaks of 'Sharia law' as if it were a single code. In fact Sharia is a broad ideal, and what lawyers apply is fiqh, which differs between schools of law and between countries. In most states, only parts of it, mainly family law, have been written into statute.
How other systems say it
Sunni schools
Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali
Four main schools of fiqh, each with its own method, and each strong in different regions.
Sharia as a principal source of legislation
The Constitution says that the principles of Islamic Sharia are the principal source of legislation. Courts apply codified statutes.
Sharia applied by the courts, with royal regulations
Judges apply Sharia, and the state issues regulations on matters such as commerce.
Tip for translators and students
Avoid 'Sharia law' as a general phrase. Say which rules, in which country, from which school.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
TheLawToKnow Tools’s glossary is an educational overview of the main differences between legal systems. It is not legal advice.
