Meaning
Ijma
إِجْمَاع
ijma · ij-maa
Ijma is the scholarly consensus of qualified Muslim jurists on a point of Islamic law in a given era — the third source of Islamic legislation after the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Alternative Spelling
Ijma / Ijmaa / Ijma' / Ijmah / Ejma
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What is Ijma?
Ijma comes from the Arabic root j-m-', meaning "to gather," "to unite," or "to agree." In Islamic legal theory, it refers to the unanimous agreement of the qualified jurists (mujtahids) of a given time on a particular ruling after the death of the Prophet ﷺ. Alongside the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and qiyas (analogical reasoning), ijma is counted among the four classical sources of Islamic law, occupying a central place in usul al-fiqh (the principles of jurisprudence).
The rationale for ijma's authority rests on the idea that while any individual scholar may err, it is highly unlikely that the entire qualified scholarly community of an era would unite in agreement on something contrary to the truth of the religion. This gives ijma a protective, stabilizing function — once a matter has been genuinely and unanimously settled by the qualified scholars of a period, it is treated as settled law, not open to casual re-litigation.
Jurists distinguish between ijma sarih (explicit consensus), where each jurist clearly and independently states the same ruling, and ijma sukuti (tacit consensus), where some scholars publicly express a view and others remain silent without voicing disagreement — a weaker and more debated form of consensus. The four Sunni madhabs all recognize ijma as authoritative, but they differ on finer points: whether consensus must include every mujtahid across the entire Muslim world or can be regional, whether the consensus of the Companions carries special weight, and how strictly to interpret silence as agreement.
In practice, ijma has historically settled matters not explicitly detailed in the Qur'an or Sunnah, such as the compilation of the Qur'an into a single written mushaf, the number of rak'ahs in specific prayers, and various matters of communal organization. Its practical value lies in providing certainty and unity on questions where individual reasoning alone might otherwise produce endless disagreement.
Modern scholars continue to explore how ijma might function today, given the global dispersal of qualified jurists and the absence of a single, universally recognized gathering of all mujtahids — leading some to speak of a "living ijma" built through international councils of Islamic scholars, while others reserve the classical term for consensus achieved among the earliest generations.
Examples of Ijma
- Compilation of the Qur'an: The Companions' agreement to compile the Qur'an into a single standardized text is a widely cited historical example of ijma.
- Number of rak'ahs in prayer: The scholarly consensus on the exact number of units in each of the five daily prayers rests on ijma alongside Prophetic practice.
- Prohibition of certain modern transactions: Contemporary fiqh councils sometimes reach a modern-day ijma on emerging financial products deemed impermissible.
- Validity of appointing a caliph by consultation: Early Islamic consensus on selecting a leader through shura (consultation) reflects an early application of ijma.
References in Qur'an & Hadith
"And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell." — Surah An-Nisa 4:115
"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided." — Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:103
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ijma mean in Islamic law?
Ijma means consensus — specifically, the unanimous agreement of qualified Muslim jurists (mujtahids) of a particular time on a specific ruling, recognized as a binding source of Islamic law.
Why is Ijma considered a source of Islamic law?
Ijma is valued because it reflects the collective understanding of the most qualified scholars applying the Qur'an and Sunnah, and classical scholars viewed the united scholarly community as unlikely to agree upon error.
What are the types of Ijma?
Scholars distinguish ijma sarih, an explicit agreement where every jurist openly states the same ruling, from ijma sukuti, a tacit consensus where some jurists stay silent without objecting to a view others have voiced.
Do the four madhabs treat Ijma the same way?
All four Sunni madhabs accept ijma as authoritative, though they differ somewhat on its scope — for example, whether it must include every mujtahid in existence or only those of a particular region or era, and how tacit consensus should be weighed.
Can Ijma be overturned later?
Classical theory generally holds that a genuine, established ijma cannot later be reversed, though scholars continue to debate which historical claims of consensus were truly unanimous versus merely majority opinions.