Which sources do Muslim scholars use to interpret sharia?

Muslim scholars interpret sharia (Islamic law) by utilizing a framework known as uṣūl al-fiqh, which consists of four primary sources:123

• Qurʾān: The holy book of Islam, which provides the foundational standards of conduct and divine guidance.14
• Sunnah: The normative practices, customs, and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, as preserved in the Hadith. It serves as a vital supplement to the Qurʾān.143
• Ijmāʿ: The consensus reached by Muslim scholars or the community on specific legal or religious matters.15
• Qiyās: The use of analogical reasoning to derive legal principles for new situations not explicitly addressed in the Qurʾān or Sunnah.123

When these primary sources do not provide a specific solution, jurists may also employ ijtihād—the process of independent legal reasoning—which can include subsidiary principles such as istiḥsān (juristic discretion) and istiṣlāḥ (consideration of public welfare). Through these methods, scholars seek to define God's law, acknowledging that their conclusions are often tentative interpretations rather than absolute certainty.6