Four Sources in Islam 1. Quran , 2. Sunnah , 3. Ijma , 4. Qiyaas

Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem

Al-Hamdu-Lillaahi Rabbil-'Aalameen was-Salaatu was-Salaamu 'alaa Ashrafil-Anbiyaa.e wal-Mursaleen, wa ba'd:

According to Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah there are Four Sources in Islam :

1. Quran,
2. Sunnah,
3. Ijma,
4. Qiyas.

This Four Sources of Islam are called as Adilla E Arba in Arabic.

If any issue comes in front of Muslims the Scholars of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah will first look into the Quran for its solution, if they do not find the solution in Quran then they will turn towards the second source of Islam that is Sunnah to find the solution and if they do not find in sunnah too then they will turn towards the third source of Islam that is Ijma for solution and if they do not find in Ijma then they will do Qiyas(analogy) on that matter, which is the fourth source in Islam. This Sequence is shown by Allah(awj) and the Prophet Muhammad(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) to the Sahaba(Radhiallaahu Ánhum Ajmaien) in particular and in general to the all the Muslims and this is how the Muslims have practiced right from the time of Prophet(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) untill today.

Proof of the Four Sources of Islam from the Quran, Saheeh Hadeeth and examples from Sahaba(ra) : 1.Quran, 2.Sunnah, 3.Ijma, and 4.Qiyas.

Allah(awj) says in the Holy Quran :
Surah An Nisa Verse 59 :

O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.

Commenting on the above verse of the Quran Shaykh Abdul Khaliq says that
In the above verse the First source in given i.e. Obey Allah (The Quran)
The Second source is also mentioned Obey the Messenger (The Sunnah),
The Third source is also mentioned Obey those charged with authority among you (Ijma)
If we do not find anything in the Book of Allah , in The Sunnah of Prophet(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam), and in Ijma then Allah(awj) tells us to refer the matter to Allah and His Messenger for solution which is to do Qiyas(analogy) from Quran and Sunnah.

Imam Tirmidhi and Imam Abu Dawood have both narrated that when the Prophet sallalahu alaihi wa sallam sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal(ra) to Yemen (as a governor),

he asked him:
"How will you judge if you are asked to do so?"
Mu'adh said: "I will judge according to the Book of Allah(Quran)."
The Prophet: "And if you do not find it in the Book of Allah(Quran)?"
Muadh: "Then I will judge according to the Sunnah of His messenger."
The Prophet : "And if you do not find it in the Sunnah of the Messenger, or in the Book of Allah(Quran)?"
Muadh: "Then I will exercise my opinion(Qiyas) and I will not be negligent with it."
The Prophet then patted the chest of Mu'adh with his hands and said:
"All praise is due to Allah Who has guided the emissary of His Messenger towards that which He guided His Messenger."

From the above Hadeeth Muadh ibn Jabal(ra) gives first source as The Book of Allah(Quran)
then he gives the second source as the Sunnah and the third source as ijtehad (Qiyas)
there is no Ijma binding on Sahaba(ra) as long as the Prophet(sas) was among them, Sahaba(ra) did Ijma after the prophet(sas), Sahaba(ra) made Ijma on certain Issues of Islam some of the examples of Ijma of sahaba(ra) is given below.

There is no dispute over The Quran and Sunnah being the first Two sources in Islam, Proof of Ijma and Qiyas are given below:

Proof of Ijma as the Third Source of Islam :

When Imam Shafiee(ra) was asked to prove Ijma from the Quran he(Imam Shafee) recited the whole Quran 300 times and when he came to the verse of the Quran

Surah Nisa 4:115 :
"If anyone contends with the Messenger even after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell,- what an evil refuge! !".

Imam Shafiee(ra) said regarding the verse "And follows a path other than that of the believers" this verse is the proof of Ijma.

Dr. Israr Ahmed Explaining the same proof in his lectures: as some of Ahle Hadeeth and Salafi brothers follow his lectures



The full version of the Hadeeth which Dr.Israr Ahmed quote for Ijma is as follows:

In Jaami`u Tirmidhi,
Imaam Tirmidhi (rahmatullahi alaih) also relates Ahadith pertaining to Ijma. In the chapter Baabul Fitin, he mentions about holding on fast to the Jamaat. He also reports from Hadhrat Umar (radhiAllaahu anhu) the words of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam): It is necessary for you (O Muslims) to hold on fast to the Jamaat. Save yourselves from separating (from the Jamaat). Surely shaitaan is with the single person, and he remains far from two. Whosoever desires Jannat, must remain with the Jamaat. Surely Allaah Ta`ala will never unite my Ummat (or he (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said the Ummat of Muhammed), upon falsehood, and the hand of Allaah Ta`ala is upon the Jamaat. Whoever deviates (from the Jamaat) a deviation will be in the fire (of Jahannam).
[page 315]

Few Examples of Ijma :

1. The 20 rakat of Tarawwih salah that is prayed in Ramadan from the 1st of Ramadan until the last day of Ramadan every day, and which is prayed after Isha Salah and in which the whole Quran is recited. This was the Ijma of the Sahaba(ra) during the time of Umar(ra), this is carried right from the time of Umar(ra) untill today in both Makkah and Medina the tarawihh is prayed 20 rakat as part of Ijma of sahaba and also as the Sunnah of Umar(ra).

2. Another example of Ijma is the second Azan of Jumah(Friday), which was the Ijma of sahaba(ra) during the time of Usman(ra) which is followed through out the world also in makkah and madina as part of Sunnah of Usman(ra)

The Sunnah of Sahaba(ra) is the Sunnah of the Prophet(sas) becouse of the Saheeh Hadeeth of the Prophet(sas)
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said: “Hold fast to My Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Khulafaa-e-Rasheedeen” (the Rightly Guided Caliphs). In this hadith two Sunnats are mentioned, one of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) and the other of the Sahabah (R.A)

There are many other examples on Ijma, but at this time this two example are enough to prove Ijma which is followed by everone.



Proof of Qiyas as the Fourth source in Islam:

Haafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalaani (rahmatullahi alaih) and Haafiz Aini (rahmatullahi alaih) state in their commentaries of Bukhari Shareef : And Qiyaas (analogy) is I`tibaar (to reflect / contemplate), and I`tibaar is commanded (by Allaah Ta`ala), hence Qiyaas is also commanded, and the proof for this is in the Aayat "And reflect, O you who have foresight".
[Hashia (footnote of) Bukhari, page 1086]

Examples of Qiyas

1. The Sunnah provides many evidences where the Prophet resorted to analogical reasoning(Qiyas) on occasions when he did not receive a revelation on a particular matter. On one such occasion, a woman known as al-Khath 'amiyyah came to him and said that her father had died without performing the hajj. Would it benefit him if she performed the hajj on her father's behalf? The Prophet asked her: 'Supposing your father had a debt to pay and you paid it on his behalf, would this benefit him?' To this her reply was in the affirmative, and the Prophet said, `The debt owed to God merits even greater consideration.
[Shawkani, Irshad, p. 212; Ibn Qayyim, I`lam, I, 200.]
Now the answer was Yes or No but the Prophet(sas) showed the women in particular and the whole muslim ummah in general how to do Qiyas by doing Qiyas between Hajj and Debt.

2. It is reported from Hadhrat Abu Huraira (radhiAllaahu anhu) that a person once came to Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and complained that his wife had given birth to a child that was dark in complexion. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) asked him whether he had camels that were from the same stock but of different color, he replied in the affirmative. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) drew a parallel between the two and concluded that just as camels born of the same parents can differ in colour, so too can human beings.
[Bukhari, page 1088, vol.2]
The simple answer to the question was Yes or No but prophet(sas) taught the man in particular and the whole ummah in general how to do qiyas by doing analogy(Qiyas) between Camels and Humans.
3. It is also reported that Umar b. al-Khattab(ra) asked the Prophet whether kissing invalidates the fast during Ramadan. The Prophet asked him in return: `What if you wash your mouth with water while fasting?' `Umar replied that this did not matter. The Prophet then told him that `the answer to your first question is the same'.
[66. Ibn Hazm, Ihkam, VII, 100; Ibn Qayyim, I'lam, I, 200; Khallaf, `Ilm, p. 57.]

4.Hazrath Abu Bakr(ra) resorting to Qiyas

Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radhiAllaahu anhu) used to say: Indeed, if a matter is presented to Abu Bakr which is not found in the Kitaab of Allaah Ta`ala, neither in the Sunnat, then I make Ijtihaad. Then he said: That is my ruling (opinion), if it turns out to be correct, then it is from Allaah Ta`ala, and if it is incorrect, then it comes from me, and I seek Allaah Ta`alas forgiveness from it.
[Jaami`u Bayaanul Ilm, page 51, vol.2]

5.Abdullah Ibn Abbas's(ra) Qiyas

When Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Abbaas (radhiAllaahu anhu) was the Mufti of Makkah Mukarrama, then his pattern was such, whenever he gave a ruling, that he firstly referred to the Qur`aan Shareef, then to the Sunnat, then to the rulings of Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Umar (radhiAllaahu anhuma). If he found no proof in any of the above then he would give his own view (ruling) on the matter.
[Daarmi, page 59,vol.1 / Sunan Baihaqi, page 115, vol.1 / Jaami`u Bayaanul Ilm, page 57-8, vol.2]

6.Abdullah Ibn Masud(ra) on Qiyas

Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas`ood (radhiAllaahu anhu) was the Mufti of Daarul Uloom Kufa. His proclamation was: If any of you is faced with a matter (to rule over) after today, then he should rule in conjunction with the Qur`aan Shareef. If no such solution is found in the Qur`aan Shareef, then he should see what Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) ruled in a similar matter. If he comes across a matter which is neither in the Qur`aan Shareef nor the Sunnat, then he should rule as the pious predecessors have ruled. If he comes a across a matter which is neither in the Qur`aan Shareef, nor in the Sunnat, nor have the pious predecessors ruled in a similar case, then he should make Ijtihaad and rule accordingly.
[Nisai, page 264 - Baabul Hukm Bi Ittifaaqi Ahle Ilm (Chapter on giving a verdict in conjunction with the Learned Scholars).

Salafi and Ahle Hadith Book speaks of Ijma and Qiyas

It is stated in the footnote of the Kitaab AFawaa`id Salafia, which is a Kitaab of the Ghair Muqalliddeen, under the Aayat of the Qur`aan Shareef: (All of you) Must follow that which has been revealed to you from your Rabb If any matter is not proven from the Qur`aan Shareef or Ahadith, then one may refer to consensus of opinion and Ijtihaad, because these two are corollaries (branches) to the Qur`aan Shareef and Sunnat.
[Translation of Wahidud Zamaan, page 181, vol.11]

After mentioning the above verse and the following commentary of the verse and Saheeh Hadeeth Moulana Abdul Khaliq Sahab gives examples

Examples demonstrating that Quran, Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas being the Source in Islam:

Question 1 : Suppose a non muslim asks a muslim as to why muslims make wudu before they offer salaah as no religion of the world does this why do the muslims do this i.e make wudu and purify themselves before offering salah

Now to answer the question The scholars of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah will first look into The Quran as it is the First source in Islam, to find if anything is mention regarding Making Wudu before offering salah

Answer from the First Source "The Quran":

When we look into the Quran we find that Allah(awj) says to the believers:

Surah Maidah 5:6 :
"O You who believe! When you rise up for prayer, wash your face, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles".

Alhamdullilah we find the answer for making Wudu before offering Salah from the First Source Quran.

Question 2 : Now if the person asks while making Wudu why do you wash your mouth three times, put water into nostrils three times, wash face three times, wash hands three times, make the masah of head once and then wash your feet’s?

Answer from the Second Source "The Sunnah":

We again look into the sequential order The Quran first, but there is mention of washing three times in the Quran, now we look into the Sunnah of Prophet(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam), here we find a Hadeeth which mentions about the Wudu of theProphet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam)

Hazrath Anas(ra) narrated that i brought water for the Prophet(sas) and the Prophet(sas) washed his hands, washed his mouth three times, washed his face three times, washed his hands three times, made masah of head once and then washed his legs and then said that this my wudu and the wudu of the prophets(AS) before me.
Narrated Humran(The slave of 'Uthman) I saw 'Uthman bin 'Affan(RA) asking for a tumbler of water (and when it was brought) he poured water over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. Then he washed his face and forearms up to the elbows thrice, passed his wet hands over his head and washed his feet up to the ankles thrice. Then he said, "Allah's Apostle said 'If anyone Performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak'at prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven.'
Hadith - Bukhari 1:161.

'Uthman(ra) also reported that the Messenger of Allah would repeat each washing three times.
(Related by Ahmad, Muslim and at-Tirmizhi.)

Question 3 : Now the person asks why do muslims pray their tarawihh prayer after Isha in every night of the month of ramadan? whats the evidence for this?

Answer from the Third Source "The Ijma":

We again look into the sequential order The Quran first, but there is mention tarawihh salah in the Quran, now we look into the Sunnah of Prophet(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam), we do not find any clear evidence from the life of the Prophet(sas) where prophet(sas) prayed tarawihh salah after Isha salah through out ramadan,
so now we come to the third source which is Ijma and here we find that during the time of Umar(RA) there was Ijma among the Sahaba(ra) regarding this issue and all of them prayed tarawihh salah from the first of ramadan untill the last night of ramadan and compleated the quran in tarawihh salah. (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam)

Question 4 : Now the person asks how is drug Ice, Cocaine is haram?

Answer from the Fourth Source "The Qiyaas":

As The Ill legal drugs intoxicates a person they are treated as Alcohol which is Haram in Islam. this is the simple Method of Qiyaas.

If a Muslim adopts this Four Sources of Islam he can answer any question of anyone untill the day of Judgment.

The Qur'an
As Muslims we believe the Qur'an to be the direct words of Allah, as revealed to and transmitted by the Prophet Muhammad(sas). All sources of Islamic law must be in essential agreement with the Qur'an, the most fundamental source of Islamic knowledge. When the Qur'an itself does not speak directly or in detail about a certain subject, we only then turn to alternative sources of Islamic law.

The Sunnah
Sunnah is the traditions or known practices of the Prophet Muhammad(sas), many of which have been recorded in the volumes of Hadith literature. The resources include many things that he said, did, or agreed to -- and he lived his life according to the Qur'an, putting the Qur'an into practice in his own life. During his lifetime, the Prophet's family and companions observed him and shared with others exactly what they had seen in his words and behaviors -- i.e. how he performed ablutions, how he prayed, and how he performed many other acts of worship. People also asked the Prophet directly for rulings on various matters, and he would pronounce his judgment. All of these details were passed on and recorded, to be referred to in future legal rulings. Many issues concerning personal conduct, community and family relations, political matters, etc. were addressed during the time of the Prophet, decided by him, and recorded. The Sunnah can thus clarify details of what is stated generally in the Qur'an, The actions of Khulafa E Rasheedeen is also termed as Sunnah becouse of the saying of Prophet(sas) "Follow My Sunnah and the Sunnah of My Rightly guided Khalifs".

Ijma' (consensus)
In situations when we Muslims have not been able to find a specific legal ruling in the Qur'an or Sunnah, the consensus of the community is sought (or at least the consensus of the legal scholars within the community). The Prophet Muhammad(sas) once said that his community (i.e. the Muslim community) would never agree on an error.

Qiyas (analogy)
In cases when something needs a legal ruling, but has not been clearly addressed in the other sources, judges may use analogy, reasoning, and legal precedent to decide new case law. This is often the case when a general principle can be applied to new situations. (for example Smoking in Islam is declared Haram based on Qiyas.)

And Allah Knows Best