Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah
My understanding is that the Sharia Law is not the same as Fiqh and that Sharia Law is contained in a numerous books of fatawah. My question is where can I find the fatawah in English?
JazakAllah Khair
الجواب و باللہ التوفیق
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh
As per the arabic dictionary, Shariah means straight path or the path that leads towards water. In literary terms Shariah is comprised of both deen and the commandments (collectively) which Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala has revealed for His servants. From this perspective, Shariah encompasses all the affairs pertaining to beliefs, worship, business dealings, politics, etiquettes and social dealings, in which religious guidance has been provided for the human beings regarding beliefs and masa’il (rulings about different issues). As per the arabic dictionary, fiqh means understanding and realization. At the beginning all the masa’il of Shariah were considered as fiqh whether they pertained to beliefs, worship, business dealings or etiquettes. As Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says in the Holy Quran:
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ(التوبہ:۱۲۲)
Translation: It is not (necessary) for all the believers to go forth. So, why should it not be that a group from every section of them goes forth, so that they may acquire perfect understanding of the Faith, and so that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may take due care (of the rules of Shari‘ah ).
Rasulullah Sallallaho Alyhi Wasallam has said:
من يرد الله به خيرا يفقهه في الدين(صحیح بخاری:کتاب العلم:۷۱)
Translation: When Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala wants good for someone He provides them with the true understanding of deen.
This is the same reason that one of the books related to aqa’id from imam Abu Hanifa Rahmatullah Aleh is named as “al-Fiqh al-Akbar”. However with the passage of time, certain areas of deen have evolved in form of divisions. Therefore the commandments related to:
- Beliefs have been termed as “Ilm ul-Kalam”
- Etiquettes have been termed as “Tasawwuf Wa Ehsan”
- Actions of an individual have been termed as “Fiqh”
That’s why fuqaha (Islamic jurists) have described fiqh as:
العلم بالأحكام الشرعية العملية المكتسب من أدلتها التفصيلية(قواعد الفقہ:۱/۴۱۴)
Translation: Understanding the commandments of Shariah (pertaining to individuals’ actions ) in grave detail with proofs is known as Fiqh.
Therefore, fiqh can be understood as the system of deductions and drawing conclusions in light of Quran, Hadith and absolute Ijma and Qiyas. In other words, Fiqh is primarily related to the discussion on deen related to actions rather than the details of beliefs. From this perspective Shariah is a general concept whereas Fiqh is relevant to specific issues of Shariah. In this era however, Shariah and Fiqh are considered almost one and the same i.e. the commandments of Shariah. There is an indication of this concept in the Holy Quran:
لکل جعلنا منکم شرعہ ومنہاجا(المائدہ:۴۸)
Translation: For each of you We have made a law and a method.
It is obvious that the commandments pertaining to beliefs and etiquettes for previous ummats were similar however the specific masa’il and issues pertaining to actions of individuals kept on evolving accordingly. This is a proof that the word “شرعہ” in this ayat means the commandments pertaining to actions. From this perspective the current definition of Fiqh and Shariah are in great proximity of each other and have greater similarity, due to this Shariah is applicable on the commandments pertaining to the Fiqh as well.
As far as the books regarding fatawah and masa’il are concerned, you can visit the following websites for both Urdu and English books:
https://islamicbookslibrary.wordpress.com/
https://besturdubooks.wordpress.com
https://nmusba.wordpress.com/
فالشريعة في لغة العرب هي: الطريقة المستقيمة، ومورد الماء الذي يقصد للشرب يسمى: شرعة، وشرع لهم كذا أي: سن لهم كذا.
وأما في الاصطلاح فالمقصود بالشريعة: ما شرع الله لعباده من الدين، وبين لهم من الأحكام المختلفة. وسميت شريعة لاستقامتها وشبهها بمورد الماء، لأن بها حياة النفوس والعقول، كما أن في مورد الماء حياة الأبدان.فالشريعة إذن تشمل العقائد والعبادات والمعاملات والسياسات والعادات، وغير ذلك من مجالات الحياة، فما من جانب من جوانب الحياة إلاَّ وقد بين الله لنا فيه ما يحل ويحرم، إما تفصيلاً بذكره والتنصيص عليه، وإما بإرجاعه إلى القواعد الكلية التي عليها مبنى الشريعة.
وأما الفقه: فمعناه عند العلماء: معرفة الأحكام الشرعية العملية من أدلتها التفصيلية.فالفقيه مهمته استخراج الأحكام الشرعية العملية من أدلة الشريعة (القرآن والسنة)، أو المصادر التي شهدت لها الشريعة بالصحة والاعتبار (كالإجماع والقياس الصحيح).فالفقه يختص بالبحث عن الأحكام العملية، ولا يبحث عن الأمور العقدية، فهو جزء من الشرعية، والشريعة أعم منه.وعليه، فنقول: من فرق بين الشريعة والفقه بهذا الاعتبار، فتفريقه تفريق صحيح.
وأما من أراد من التفريق أن يقول بأن الشريعة هي: ما ينظم علاقة العبد بالله، وهي منزلة من عند الله. والفقه هو: استنباط الفقهاء، فلهم أن يستنبطوا من الأحكام، ويُعملوا عقولهم دون التقيد بنصوص الشريعة والمصادر التي اعتمدتها، فهذه دعوى العلمانيين الذين يريدون زحزحة الدين عن مجالات الحياة المختلفة، وحصره في جانب العقائد والعبادات.ثم يتولى الناس التشريع لأنفسهم، فيشرعون ما شاءوا، وهذا كفر بالله تعالى مخرج من ملة الإسلام۔ (فتاویٰ الشبکۃ الاسلامیہ:3/3115)
فقط واللہ اعلم بالصواب