15/03/2022
Sharia is Islam's legal system.
It is derived from the Quran, Islam's holy book, as well as the Sunnah and Hadith - the deeds and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Where an answer cannot be derived directly from these, religious scholars may give rulings as guidance on a particular topic or question.
What does this mean in practice?
Sharia can inform every aspect of daily life for a Muslim.
For example, a Muslim wondering what to do if their colleagues invite them to the pub after work may turn to a Sharia scholar for advice to ensure they act within the legal framework of their religion.
Other areas of daily life where Muslims may turn to Sharia for guidance include family law, finance and business.
How are rulings made?
Like any legal system, Sharia is complex and its practice is entirely reliant on the quality and training of experts.
Islamic jurists issue guidance and rulings. Guidance that is considered a formal legal ruling is called a fatwa.
What are some of the tough punishments?
Islamic scholars says Sharia is mainly a code of ethical conduct and about worship and charity but a part of it deals with crime.
Sharia law divides offences into two general categories: "hadd" offences, which are serious crimes with set penalties, and "tazir" crimes, where the punishment is left to the discretion of the judge.
Hadd offences include theft, which under the strictest interpretations of Sharia, can be punishable by amputating the offender's hand.