Sharia, literally “the way,” is the legal code of Islam. Sharia essentially comes from Mohammed’s teachings. Therefore, the development of Sharia began in 610 CE, when Mohammed began prophesizing about Allah. Over the next thousand or so years, as Islam spread throughout the world, Mohammed’s words were written down and interpreted. Over time the teachings and interpretations became official legal documents called the Quran and Sunna, which act similarly to the Torah and Gemara in Jewish tradition. In addition, different legal schools of thought were established, each with its own takes on Islamic jurisprudence. From 600-1400 CE, Sharia law splintered because each interpretive sect, also called a fiqh, of Islam used different methods to solve the problems created by the expansions of Islam: specifically, the leadership vacuum after the first expansion and the convert separation and socio-economic division from the second expansion.
Beginning after Muhammad’s death in 632 BCE, Islam gained popularity, and the empire grew across Europe, Asia, and Africa, leaving the Muslim people with a major leadership vacuum to …show more content…
Additionally, the Shias derive the authority of Sharia from their own leaders; the leaders make the laws. Conversely, the Sunnis take their laws and the authority of Sharia from the Quran. The Shias place all of their trust in their leaders, going so far as to attribute divine powers to them and to declare that only the leaders know some of the hidden aspects of Sharia. The Sunnis, however, say that Muhammad did not conceal any information from his followers (“Sunni vs. Shia”). This major rift, was caused by the expansion of Islam in that as Islam expanded the need for a leader, left by Muhammad, became more dire and intense, and began the extensive fracturing of Sharia law
Beginning after Muhammad’s death in 632 BCE, Islam gained popularity, and the empire grew across Europe, Asia, and Africa, leaving the Muslim people with a major leadership vacuum to …show more content…
Additionally, the Shias derive the authority of Sharia from their own leaders; the leaders make the laws. Conversely, the Sunnis take their laws and the authority of Sharia from the Quran. The Shias place all of their trust in their leaders, going so far as to attribute divine powers to them and to declare that only the leaders know some of the hidden aspects of Sharia. The Sunnis, however, say that Muhammad did not conceal any information from his followers (“Sunni vs. Shia”). This major rift, was caused by the expansion of Islam in that as Islam expanded the need for a leader, left by Muhammad, became more dire and intense, and began the extensive fracturing of Sharia law