Two-Layered Sharīʿa: A Shiʿi Distinction Between Farāʾiḍ and Sunan Laws

What is it about?

In Islam, only God has the authority to make laws. However, the Qur’an contains very few legal rulings, which raises an important question: where does the rest of Islamic law come from? Did the Prophet create laws based on his own judgment, or did he receive additional revelations beyond the Qur’an? Muslim scholars have debated this issue since the early days of Islam. This article explores one interpretation that divides religious laws into two types: those directly commanded by God (farāʾiḍ) and those introduced by the Prophet (sunan), which he established without specific revelation. To support this view, scholars developed theological arguments, provided examples of laws attributed to both God and the Prophet, and clarified that God’s law is rigid and non-negotiable, whereas the Prophet’s laws, though binding, are subject to concession and relaxation. I refer to this as a two-layered sharia, challenging the idea that Islamic law is a single, straightforward system. Instead, it is more complex than commonly assumed.

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