Fiqh of Islam

The Arabic word fiqh means knowledge, understanding and comprehension. It refers to the legal rulings of the Muslim scholars, based on their knowledge of the shari`ah; and as such is the third source of rulings. The science of fiqh started in the second century after Hijrah, when the Islamic state expanded and faced several issues which were not explicitly covered in the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

Rulings based on the unanimity of Muslim scholars and direct analogy are binding. The four Sunni schools of thought, Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali, are identical in approximately 75% of their legal conclusions. Variances in the remaining questions are traceable to methodological differences in understanding or authentication of the primary textual evidence. Differing viewpoints sometimes exist even within a single school of thought.

Prophets of Islam

Why has God sent prophets? What is the prophet’s task. Islam teaches that God has sent prophets to humanity, in different times and places, to communicate His message. Since the beginning of time, God has sent His guidance through these chosen people. They were human beings who taught the people around them about faith in One Almighty God, and how to walk on the path of righteousness. Some prophets also revealed God's Word through the holy books of revelation.

What message have the prophets brought to human beings? Muslims believe that all prophets gave guidance and instruction to their people about how to properly worship God and live their lives. Since God is One, His message has been one and the same throughout time. In essence, all prophets taught the message of Islam, to find peace in our life through submission to the One Almighty Creator, to believe in God and to follow His guidance.

What does the Allah says in Qur'an about these prophets? "The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one of them believes in God, His angels, His books, and His Messengers. They say: “We make no distinction between one and another of His Messengers.' And they say: “We hear, and we obey. We seek Thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:285)

What prophets are named in the Qur'an? There are 25 prophets mentioned by name in the Qur'an, which all the Muslims must know although there were many more in different times and places. Among the 25 prophets that Muslims honor are:

1. Adam
2. Idris (Enoch)
3. Nuh (Noah)
4. Hud
   
5. Saleh
   
6. Ibrahim(Abraham)
   
7. Isma'il (Ismael)
8. Ishaq (Isaac)
9. Lut (Lot)
10. Ya'qub (Jacob)
11. Yusuf (Joseph)
12. Shu'aib
13. Ayyub (Job)
14. Musa (Moses)
15. Harun (Aaron)
16. Dzulkifl (Ezekiel)
17. Dawud (David)
18. Sulaiman (Solomon)
19. Ilias (Elias)
20. IlYasa (Elisha)
21. Yunus (Jonah)
22. Zakariyya (Zechariah)
23. Yahya (John)
24. Isa (Jesus)
25. Muhammad (PBUH)