Fiqh — Alimiyyah Grade 1
Basic Shar‘i Rulings
A sunnah is a Prophetic practice that is not binding in the same way as fard or wajib. A regularly maintained sunnah is called sunnah mu’akkadah, while other Prophetic practices may be non-emphasized. Haram is something that must be avoided. Makruh has two common levels in Hanafi fiqh: makruh tahriman, which is close to prohibition, and makruh tanzihan, where avoiding the act is better. These terms will appear repeatedly in purification, prayer, fasting, zakah and Hajj.
الحكم الشرعي
Shar‘i ruling
الفقه الحنفي
Hanafi fiqh
الفرض
fard / obligatory
الواجب
wajib / binding duty
السنة المؤكدة
emphasized Sunnah
السنة غير المؤكدة
non-emphasized Sunnah
الحرام
haram / prohibited
المكروه التحريمي
prohibitively disliked
المكروه التنزيهي
mildly disliked
Terminology definitions
A ruling given by the Shariah about what a responsible Muslim should do, avoid, or is allowed to do.
The school of fiqh associated with Imam Abu Hanifah and developed by Hanafi jurists.
An act that is definitely required. Deliberately leaving it is sinful, and if it is essential to an act of worship, that worship is not valid without it.
A binding act. In Hanafi terminology it is obligatory but is distinguished from fard because of the nature of its proof.
A Prophetic practice that the Prophet ﷺ maintained regularly and which should not be habitually neglected.
A Prophetic practice that is recommended but was not maintained with the same regularity as an emphasized Sunnah.
An act that the Shariah requires a Muslim to leave.
In Hanafi usage, an act that must be avoided and is close to haram, though its proof is not at the same level as a categorical prohibition.
An act whose avoidance is better, but it is not treated like a binding prohibition.
A sunnah is a Prophetic practice that is not binding in the same way as fard or wajib. A regularly maintained sunnah is called sunnah mu’akkadah, while other Prophetic practices may be non-emphasized. Haram is something that must be avoided. Makruh has two common levels in Hanafi fiqh: makruh tahriman, which is close to prohibition, and makruh tanzihan, where avoiding the act is better. These terms will appear repeatedly in purification, prayer, fasting, zakah and Hajj.