Ijma

Lore & Background

The classical doctrine of Ijma drew its authority from a series of hadiths stating that the Islamic community could never agree on an error. This form of consensus was technically defined as agreement of all competent jurists in any particular generation, acting as representatives of the community. However, the practical difficulty of obtaining and ascertaining such an agreement meant that it had little impact on legal development. A more pragmatic form of consensus, which could be determined by consulting works of prominent jurists, was used to confirm a ruling so that it could not be reopened for further discussion. The cases for which there was a consensus account form less than 1 percent of the body of classical jurisprudence. Proof of the validity of Ijma is drawn from the Quran and hadith. Another proof is in Surah Luqman (31:15) and Sura an-Nisa (4:83). The hadith of Muhammad stating that 'Allah will ensure my ummah will never collude en-masse upon error' is often quoted as the primary proof from the Sunni view. Exactly what group should represent the Muslim community in reaching the consensus is not agreed on by the various schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Some believe it should be the Sahaba only; others the consensus of the Salaf; or the consensus of Islamic lawyers; or the consensus of all the Muslim world, both scholars and lay people.

Reader's Guide

Ijma is a foundational concept in Sunni Islamic legal theory, regarded as the third source of Sharia after the Qur'an and Sunnah. Its significance lies in its potential to elevate a ruling based on probable evidence to absolute certainty. However, its practical impact has been limited: cases with consensus account for less than 1 percent of classical jurisprudence. The doctrine's authority rests on the belief that the Muslim community cannot collectively err, a principle supported by specific Quranic verses and hadith. Disagreement over who constitutes the community for consensus—whether only the Companions, the early generations, scholars, or all Muslims—has led to divergent views among schools. Malik ibn Anas held that binding consensus was only that of the Companions and their successors in Medina. Al-Shafi'i required consensus of all Muslims worldwide, while Al-Ghazali restricted it to scholars for finer details. Abu Hanifa, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and Dawud al-Zahiri limited it to the Companions. Later scholars like Abu Bakr Al Jassas defined even a simple majority as consensus, and Ibn Taymiyyah restricted it to the religiously learned. In Shia Islam, the authority of Imams rendered consensus less important, though it gained some relevance with the Usuli school. The Mu'tazilite sect rejected consensus as a valid source of law, criticizing the first generation of Muslims.

Did You Know?

• The cases for which there was a consensus account form less than 1 percent of the body of classical jurisprudence.
• The hadith that 'Allah will ensure my ummah will never collude en-masse upon error' is often quoted as the primary proof of Ijma from the Sunni view.
• Malik ibn Anas held that the religiously binding consensus was only the consensus of Muhammad's companions and their direct successors in Medina.