Sharia
To Arabic-speaking people,
sharia, [1] also known as
Qānūn-e Islāmī, means the moral code and religious law of a prophetic religion.[2][3] In English usage, the term "sharia" has been largely identified with Islam.[4]
Sharia deals with many topics addressed by secular law, including crime, politics, and economics, as well as personal matters such as sexual intercourse, hygiene, diet, prayer, everyday etiquette and fasting. Though interpretations of sharia vary between cultures, in its strictest and most historically coherent definition it is considered the infallible law of God—as opposed to the human interpretation of the laws.[5] Historically however, much of Sharia has been implemented in its strictest understanding. There are two primary sources of sharia law: the precepts set forth in the Quranic verses, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah.[6] Where it has official status, sharia is interpreted by Islamic judges with varying responsibilities for the religious leaders.