This masterclass is at an academic level.

Principles of Islamic jurisprudence, also known as Usool al-fiqh (roots of jurisprudence), are traditional methodological principles used in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) for inferring the rulings of Islamic law (Shari’ah). The Islamic scholar Sayyid Rashid Rida (1865 – 1935) lists the four basic principles of Islamic law, agreed by all Sunni Muslims: “the [known] sources of law in Islam are four: the Holy Qur’an, the Sunnah, the consensus of the Ummah and ijtihād undertaken by competent jurists”. Although the principles of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah are permanent, it is the nature of Islamic jurisprudence to facilitate for people the application of those principles to their activities and transactions.

The collection of principles on Usool al-Fiqh is numerous as specific sources to derive laws is an important topic in Usool al-Fiqh: The Holy Qur’ān, Sunnah, Ijma as Sahāba (consensus of the companions (radi Allāhu anhum) and Qiyās (analogous deduction). These are the four sources in Islam, which are accepted by almost all scholars.