Editing Ulama (section)

===Law===
{{main|Sharia}}
According to [[Shia Islam]], the authority to interpret the messages of the [[Quran]] and the [[Hadith]] lies with the [[Imamah (Shia doctrine)|Imamah]], a line of infallible interpreters of the truth. The [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] majority, however, reject this concept and maintain that God's will has been completely revealed in the Quran and ''[[sunnah]]'' of the Prophet. The capacity of its interpretation lies with the ulama.<ref name="Hourani_HAP_P158">{{cite book| last1=Hourani| first1=Albert| title=A history of the Arab peoples| date=2012| publisher=Faber| location=London| isbn=978-0-571-28801-4| page=158| edition=New}}</ref>

By the eleventh century, the major schools of Sunni and Shia law ''([[madhhab]])'' had emerged. Whilst, historically, the schools were at times engaged in mutual conflicts, the differences became less controversial over time, and merely represent regional predominances today. The four most important Sunni schools are:<ref name="Hourani_HAP_P158"/>
* [[Shafi'i]] ([[Egypt]], [[Mashriq]], [[Hijaz]], [[Yemen]])
* [[Maliki]] ([[Maghreb]] and [[West Africa]])
* [[Hanafi]] ([[Central Asia|Central]] and [[South Asia]], [[the Balkans]], [[Turkey]])
* [[Hanbali]] (most common in the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Gulf counties]])

Shia madhhab include the [[Ja'fari jurisprudence|Ja'fari]] and [[Zaidiyyah|Zaidi]] schools. Minor madhhab also mentioned in the [[Amman message]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Amman Message|url=http://ammanmessage.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=29&limit=1&limitstart=1| access-date=30 April 2017}}</ref> are the [[Ibadi]] and the [[Zahiri]] schools.

All Sunni ''madhhabs'' recognize four sources of ''[[sharia]]'' (divine law): the Quran, ''[[sunnah]]'' (authentic hadith), ''[[qiyas]]'' (analogical reasoning), and ''[[ijma]]'' (juridical consensus).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|first=Farhat J.|last=Ziadeh|article=Uṣūl al-fiqh|encyclopedia=The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World| editor-last=Esposito | editor-first=John L. |publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|year=2009|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195305135.001.0001|isbn=9780195305135}}</ref> However, the ''madhhabs'' differ from each other in their conception of the [[Principles of Islamic jurisprudence]], or ''uṣūl al-fiqh'', as briefly summarised by Hourani (1991).<ref name="Hourani_HAP_P158_160">{{cite book| last1=Hourani| first1=Albert| chapter=The culture of the ʻulama | title=A history of the Arab peoples.| date=2012| publisher=Faber| location=London| isbn=978-0-571-28801-4| pages=158–160| edition=New}}</ref> The Hanbalis accepted only the consensus of the [[Sahabah|Companions of the Prophet]] ''(aṣ-ṣaḥābah)'', which gave more leeway to independent reasoning ''([[ijtihad]])'' within the boundaries of the rules of ''qiyās''. The Hanafis hold that strict analogy may at times be supported by a limited use of juristic preference ''([[istihsan]])'', whereas the Maliki school also allows pragmatic considerations in the interest of public welfare ''([[istislah]])'' are also acceptable.<ref name="Hourani_HAP_P158_160"/> Instead of the Sunni concept of analogy ''(qiyās)'', Shia ulama prefer "dialectical reasoning" ''([['Aql]])'' to deduce law.<ref>{{cite book| last=Esposito | first=John | title=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam| location=Oxford, UK | publisher =Oxford University Press| year=2004| page=22 | isbn=978-0-19-512559-7| title-link=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam| author-link=John Esposito}}</ref>

The body of substantive jurisprudence ''([[fiqh]]'') defines the proper way of life through interpretation of ''sharia'', which Muslims should  follow if they want to live according to God's will. Over time, the ''madhhabs'' established "codes of conduct", examining human actions in the light of the Quran and Hadith. Supplementing the sharia were customs ''([[Urf|ʿurf]])'' within a given society. Islamic law and regional customs were not opposed to each other: In 15th century Morocco, [[qadi]]s were allowed to use a process called ''ʻamal'' in order to  choose from different juridical opinions one which applied best to the local customs, even if they were not supported by the consensus of the majority. More often, the use of sharia led to changes in local customs.<ref name="Hourani_HAP_P158_160"/>