EXAMPLES OF IJMAA (CONSENSUS )

 

 

 

** Classical examples of Ijmaʿ (consensus)** as cited by renowned scholars in their works of **Fiqh, Usul Al-Fiqh, and Hadith**.

 

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 ** 1. Ijmaʿ on the Obligation of the Five Daily Prayers**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Mughni* (ابن قدامة), *Bidayat al-Mujtahid* (ابن رشد), *Al-Umm* (الشافعي)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمع العلماء على أن الصلوات الخمس فرض عين على كل مكلف**

 

*(Scholars unanimously agree that the five daily prayers are obligatory upon every accountable person.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

All Muslim scholars agree that **Salah (prayer)** is obligatory, based on the Quran, Sunnah, and consensus.

 

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 ** 2. Ijmaʿ on the Prohibition of Alcohol (Khamr)**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Ijmaʿ* (ابن المنذر), *Al-Muhalla* (ابن حزم), *Tafsir al-Qurtubi*

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

أجمع المسلمون على تحريم الخمر لقول الله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ

 

*(Muslims unanimously agree on the prohibition of alcohol, based on Allah’s verse: "Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divining arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork." [5:90])*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

There is **no disagreement** among classical scholars that **all intoxicants are Haram**, whether in small or large quantities.

 

 

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 ** 3. Ijmaʿ That a Father Cannot Marry His Daughter’s Daughter (Granddaughter)**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Ijmaʿ* (ابن المنذر), *Al-Majmuʿ* (النووي)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أن الرجل يحرم عليه نكاح بنت ابنته**

 

*(They unanimously agreed that a man is forbidden to marry his son’s daughter.)*

 

🔹 **English:**

 

All scholars agree that **a grandfather cannot marry his granddaughter** (as she is a Mahram).

 

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 ** 4. Ijmaʿ That the Quran is Preserved from Corruption**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Ihkam* (الآمدي), *Al-Burhan* (الجويني)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعت الأمة على صحة القرآن وأنه محفوظ من التبديل**

 

*(The Ummah unanimously agrees that the Quran is authentic and preserved from alteration.)*

 

🔹 **English:**

 

No classical scholar ever claimed the Quran was corrupted—this is a matter of **absolute consensus**.

 

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** 5. Ijmaʿ That Apostates Must Be Asked to Repent Before Execution**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Mughni* (ابن قدامة), *Al-Umm* (الشافعي)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

 

**أجمعوا على استتابة المرتد قبل قتله**

 

*(They agreed that an apostate must be asked to repent before being executed.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

Classical scholars unanimously ruled that **an apostate is given a chance to repent** before capital punishment is applied.

 

 

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** 6. Ijmaʿ That a Murderer Cannot Inherit from His Victim**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Mabsut* (السرخسي), *Bidayat al-Mujtahid* (ابن رشد)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمع الفقهاء على أن القاتل لا يرث من المقتول**

 

*(Jurists agreed that a killer does not inherit from his victim.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This is based on the Hadith: *"The killer inherits nothing."* (Sunan Ibn Majah)

 

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 ** 7. Ijmaʿ That Backbiting (Ghibah) is Haram**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Ihya Ulum al-Din* (الغزالي), *Al-Fatawa al-Kubra* (ابن تيمية)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمع العلماء على تحريم الغيبة إلا لمصلحة شرعية**

 

*(Scholars agreed that backbiting is forbidden unless for a valid Islamic reason, like warning against a fraud.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

All schools of Fiqh consider **backbiting a major sin** unless there is a **Shariah-approved justification**.

 

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** 8. Ijmaʿ That a Woman’s Waiting Period (‘Iddah) After Divorce is Three Menstrual Cycles**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Mughni* (ابن قدامة), *Al-Umm* (الشافعي)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أن عدة المطلقة ثلاث حيض**

 

*(They agreed that a divorced woman’s waiting period is three menstrual cycles.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This is based on **Quran 2:228** and confirmed by classical scholars.

 

 

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 ** 9. Ijmaʿ That a Contract is Invalid If the Sold Item Does Not Exist**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir* (ابن نجيم), *Al-Mabsut* (السرخسي)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على بطلان بيع المعدوم**

 

*(They agreed that selling something non-existent is invalid.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

Example: Selling **unborn livestock** or **future crops** without proper conditions is invalid.

 

 

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 ** 10. Ijmaʿ That the Testimony of a Liar is Rejected**

 

 

📖 **Source:** *Al-Ijmaʿ* (ابن المنذر), *Al-Muhalla* (ابن حزم)

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على رد شهادة الكذاب**

 

*(They agreed that the testimony of a liar is rejected.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This is derived from the Quranic principle of **justice in testimony (Quran 65:2)**.

 

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 ** 11. Ijmaʿ That the Minimum 'Iddah for a Widow is 4 Months and 10 Days**

 

 

📖 **Sources:** - *Al-Mughni* (Ibn Qudamah, Hanbali)

 

- *Bidayat al-Mujtahid* (Ibn Rushd, Maliki)

 

- *Al-Umm* (Al-Shafi’i)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

 

**أجمع العلماء على أن عدة المتوفى عنها زوجها أربعة أشهر وعشرًا**

 

*(Scholars unanimously agree that the waiting period for a widow is four months and ten days.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This ruling is based on **Quran 2:234**, and there is **no disagreement** among classical scholars.

 

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 ** 12. Ijmaʿ That a Muslim Cannot Be Enslaved**

 

 

📖 **Sources:**  - *Al-Mabsut* (Al-Sarakhsi, Hanafi)

 

- *Al-Majmu’* (Al-Nawawi, Shafi’i)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

 

**أجمعوا على تحريم استرقاق المسلم**

 

*(They agreed that enslaving a Muslim is forbidden.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

Once a person embraces Islam, they **cannot be taken as a slave**, even if captured in war.

 

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 ** 13. Ijmaʿ That the Testimony of Two Women is Required in Financial Cases**

 

 

📖 **Sources:**  - *Al-Ijma’* (Ibn al-Mundhir)

 

- *Al-Muhalla* (Ibn Hazm, Zahiri)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

 

**أجمع الفقهاء على أن شهادة امرأتين تعدل شهادة رجل واحد في الأموال**

 

*(Jurists agreed that the testimony of two women equals one man’s in financial matters.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This is based on **Quran 2:282**. While some modern scholars reinterpret this, **classical Fiqh is unanimous**.

 

 

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 ** 14. Ijmaʿ That a Thief’s Hand is Cut for Stealing Above the Nisab**

 

 

📖 **Sources:**  - *Al-Mughni* (Ibn Qudamah)

 

- *Al-Umm* (Al-Shafi’i)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

أجمعوا على قطع يد السارق في ربع دينار فصاعدًا إذا توفرت الشروط

 

*(They agreed that a thief’s hand is cut for stealing at least a quarter dinar, if all conditions are met.)*

 

🔹 **English:**

 

The **minimum threshold** for cutting a thief’s hand was **1/4 dinar (approx. 3g of gold)** in classical Fiqh.

 

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** 15. Ijmaʿ That a Woman Cannot Marry Herself Without a Wali (Guardian)**

 

 

📖 **Sources:**  - *Al-Mabsut* (Al-Sarakhsi, Hanafi)

 

- *Al-Sharh al-Kabir* (Ibn Qudamah, Hanbali)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أن المرأة لا تنكح نفسها بغير ولي**

 

*(They agreed that a woman cannot marry herself off without a guardian.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This was the **classical position** of all schools except the **Hanafis**, who allowed it only for

**previously married women**.

 

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 ** 16. Ijmaʿ That a Child’s Wealth Cannot Be Taken Without Just Cause**

 

 

📖 **Sources:**  - *Al-Muhalla* (Ibn Hazm)

 

- *Al-Majmu’* (Al-Nawawi)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أنه لا يجوز أخذ مال اليتيم إلا بالمعروف**

 

*(They agreed that an orphan’s wealth cannot be taken except in a lawful manner.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This is based on **Quran 4:2, 6**, and scholars unanimously forbid **misusing an orphan’s property**.

 

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 ** 17. Ijmaʿ That a Person Who Denies an Obligatory Prayer Becomes a Kafir**

 

 

📖 **Sources:** - *Al-Sharh al-Kabir* (Ibn Qudamah)

 

- *Al-Fatawa al-Kubra* (Ibn Taymiyyah)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أن من جحد وجوب الصلاة فهو كافر**

 

*(They agreed that whoever denies the obligation of prayer is a disbeliever.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This applies only to **denial (Juhud)**, not

 

**negligence (Tark)** without rejection.

 

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 ** 18. Ijmaʿ That a False Accuser (Qadhif) is Never Believed Again**

 

 

📖 **Sources:**  - *Al-Mabsut* (Al-Sarakhsi)

 

- *Al-Mughni* (Ibn Qudamah)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أن القاذف لا تقبل شهادته أبدًا**

 

*(They agreed that a slanderer’s testimony is never accepted again.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This is based on **Quran 24:4** (the punishment for false accusation of adultery).

 

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 ** 19. Ijmaʿ That a Slave Can Be Freed by His Master’s Declaration**

 

 

📖 **Sources:** - *Al-Umm* (Al-Shafi’i)

 

- *Bidayat al-Mujtahid* (Ibn Rushd)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على أن العبد يعتق إذا قال سيده: أنت حر**

 

*(They agreed that a slave is freed if his master says, “You are free.”)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This was a **universal ruling** in classical Islam, where **verbal declaration** was sufficient.

 

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 ** 20. Ijmaʿ That a Woman in ‘Iddah Cannot Remarry Until Her Waiting Period Ends**

 

 

📖 **Sources:** - *Al-Mughni* (Ibn Qudamah)

 

- *Al-Muhalla* (Ibn Hazm)

 

 

🔹 **Arabic:**

 

**أجمعوا على تحريم نكاح المعتدة حتى تنقضي عدتها**

 

*(They agreed that it is forbidden to marry a woman in ‘Iddah until her waiting period ends.)*

 

 

🔹 **English:**

 

This applies to **divorcees and widows** and is based on **Quran 2:228-234**.

 

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**Final Notes on Ijmaʿ**

 

 

1. **Ijmaʿ Al-Sahabah (Consensus of the Companions)** is the **strongest** type.

 

2. **Ijmaʿ Al-Ummah (Consensus of the Ummah)** is binding.

 

3. **Silent Ijmaʿ (Ijma’ Sukuti)** occurs when scholars **do not object** to a ruling.