Shariah-The Distinction Between Sharī‘ah and Fiqh

Scope
- Sharī‘ah: Covers all human actions (a wider circle).
- Fiqh: Deals only with actions related to legality and illegality.
Nature
- Sharī‘ah: Divine laws revealed in the Qur’ān and Sunnah.
  - Includes:
    - al-aḥkām al-i‘tiqādiyyah (beliefs)
    - al-aḥkām al-akhlāqiyyah (morals and ethics)
    - al-aḥkām al-‘amaliyyah (actions – also called fiqh)
- So, fiqh is part of Sharī‘ah.
Changeability
- Sharī‘ah: Fixed and unchangeable.
- Fiqh: Can change with circumstances and new situations.
Source of Knowledge
- Sharī‘ah: Based only on divine revelation (Qur’ān and Sunnah).
- Fiqh: Based on human reasoning and understanding of Sharī‘ah.
Judgment
- Fiqh: Classifies actions as legal or illegal.
- Sharī‘ah: Has levels of approval or disapproval (not just legal/illegal).

Note

The distinction is not always clear; many scholars use both terms interchangeably.
The goal of both Sharī‘ah and Fiqh is to seek Allah’s approval by following His commandments.

LAW