Laws

You know,

as Muslims travel through life

on all the different roads that they choose,

and the roads that are chosen for them,

each finds a way that is their Deen.

Of course,

as people are all so different,

they will always argue over what is good and what is bad behaviour

as they try to decide how to live their lives,

and try to find the rules that they agree on,

that they call the Law.

So,

do we all mean the same thing when we talk about what is the Law?

Well, there are different kinds of Law,

and you don't have to be a Muslim to have laws you must follow,

and some places have laws that are different to others.

These laws don't have to be important to the Deen,

they can be about which side of the road people drive on,

or how much tax they must pay.

And they are decided by whoever rules the place where these laws apply,

whether it be a parliament or a council,

a caliph or a king,

because the rulers are the ones in charge of the army

and police force,

who can force people to follow the law,

or punish them if they refuse.

So the one who has the force to rule

can make and change these laws,

and it works the same way the world over.

But when Muslim rulers are making their laws,

they have to be sure that they leave people free to live their different Ways of Life,

but for the good of the community set laws to keep them within the bounds of the Shariah.

The Shari'ah says what is important for people in a society,

and gives rules as to what they must do

and what they must not do.

But very few things are so important that the Shariah says that people must do them or not,

and everything in the world is for humankind to use,

and allowed unless there is a clear rule against it.

So Muslim lawyers try to find clear guidance

in God's Words in the Qur'an,

and in the example of God's Messenger, Muhammad.

And they try to understand what we must do

and what we must not do,

and give opinions

as to what things are allowed but not recommended,

or disapproved but not forbidden.

Muslim lawyers use special names for the different kinds of Laws.

Should these be the best known words in Shariah?

How should we give Service to God?