Friday Notes From The Quran Sharia

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Non Muslims can skip this.  But it is very brief. Plus it is about SHARIA.
Today lets look at the very famous word SHARIA in the Quran. Sharia is famous perhaps because people do not seem to know how it is used in the Quran. 
Literally sharia means 'a way'. In Arab countries 'sharia' refers to a street or road. For example in Cairo there is the  Sharia Al Muizz or Al-Mu'izz Street, named after the Fatimid Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah.
The word sharia and its derivatives appear only FIVE times in the Quran. Here is the word count:

 
Here are all five of the verses that mention sharia. The arabic word sharia and its English translation are highlighted in black and yellow.



i. 42:13  ۞ شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِۦ نُوحًۭا وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِۦٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰٓ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ ٱللَّهُ يَجْتَبِىٓ إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِىٓ إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ ١٣
He has made plain to you of the deen which He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you and that which We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus that keep to obedience and be not divided therein; hard to the mushrikeen (those who associate) is that which you call them to; Allah chooses for Himself whom He pleases, and guides to Himself him who turns (to Him), frequently. 
 
ii.   7:163  وَسْـَٔلْهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِى ٱلسَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًۭا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ ۙ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَبْلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ
And ask them about the town which stood by the sea; when they exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, when their fish came to them on the day of their Sabbath, appearing on the surface of the water, and on the day on which they did not keep the Sabbath they did not come to them; thus did We try them because they transgressed.
 
iii.  5:48  وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّۢ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةًۭ وَمِنْهَاجًۭا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًۭا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ٤٨

And We have sent down to thee the Book with the truth, confirming the Book that was before it, and assuring it. So judge between them according to what Allah has sent down, and do not follow their caprices, to forsake the truth that has come to thee. To every one of you We have appointed a way and an open road. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation; but that He may try you in what has come to you. So be you forward in good works; unto Allah shall you return, all together; and He will tell you of that whereon you were at variance.
 

iv.  42:21  أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَـٰٓؤُا۟ شَرَعُوا۟ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنۢ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ ٱلْفَصْلِ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
Or have they associates who have prescribed for them any deen that Allah does not sanction? And were it not for the word of judgment, a decision would have certainly been given between them; and surely the unjust shall have a painful punishment. 
 
v.  45:18  ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ فَٱتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Then We have made you follow a course in the affair, therefore follow it, and do not follow the low desires of those who do not know.
In the five verses here the word sharia is translated as : made plain, a way, appearing, prescribed, follow a course.
In Sura 7:163 is the story of fish "appearing" (shura-an) on the day of the Sabbath. Other translators say 'visibly'.

In Surah 5:48 it says "for every one of you did We appoint a way (a sharia).

In Surah 42:13  He has made plain  (sharia) to you of the deen which He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you and that which We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus..
The same deen has been made plain (sharia) to us which was enjoined upon Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.  
In Surah 42:21 it says "Or have they associates who have prescribed (sharaa'u) for them any deen that Allah does not sanction?"
This refers to people who prescribe (sharaa'u) their own ideas about religion which are not sanctioned by Allah. 
Unfortunately there is plenty of that floating around.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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