What were the major legal principles of medieval Islamic law?

Medieval Islamic law was based on the principles of Sharia, which is the legal framework derived from the Quran and the Hadith. Sharia forms the basis of Islamic jurisprudence and governs all aspects of Muslim society.

Sharia

Sharia is the primary source of law in Islam. It covers a wide range of issues including religious rituals, morals, and social conduct. It provides guidelines on various aspects such as punishment for crimes, family law, and business transactions.

Qiyas

Qiyas refers to analogical reasoning in Islamic jurisprudence. It involves deriving a ruling for a new case by comparing it to existing cases for which a ruling already exists.

Ijma

Ijma is the consensus of scholars on a particular issue. It is considered a source of law when there is no clear guidance in the Quran or Hadith.

Other major legal principles of medieval Islamic law include Ijtihad (independent legal reasoning), Maslaha (public interest), and Urf (custom).

These legal principles formed the foundation of the Islamic legal system and were developed and refined by prominent Islamic legal scholars throughout history.