Sharia: The Decrees of Deen-Islam

Sharia: The Decrees of Deen-Islam

By Paigham Mustafa

The Quran states that anything other than Deen-Islam is not acceptable to God (Verse 3.85). It also describes the sharia of this Deen as the same set of divine decrees given to Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, resisted only by those who commit treachery and corruption (Verse 42.13). Far from being a religious slogan, this is presented as a universal framework intended to guide humankind towards justice.

Yet for many, the word sharia evokes images of brutality: child marriage, the disinheritance of women, stoning, beheading and a harsh legalism that seems medieval at best, barbaric at worst. What often passes as “Islamic law” in various countries bears little resemblance to the Quran’s own account. The gap between Quran’s sharia and the laws implemented by religious orthodoxy is not merely wide; it is the central tragedy of Muslim legal history.

Misunderstanding Radicalism

Terms such as “radicalisation” are frequently attached to Islam, usually as shorthand for extremism. But the Quran’s project is radical only in the sense that it calls for profound ethical reform: a challenge to corruption, tribal power structures, social inequity and the idolisation of authority. Its radicalism aims at moral renewal, not cruelty. To describe its principles as inherently oppressive is to mistake the abuses of religious establishments for the Quran’s intent.

When sharia is understood directly from the Quran, rather than through layers of clerical interpretation, it emerges not as an instrument of domination but as a coherent, balanced application of divine decrees designed to maintain an equitable society. It is, therefore, not the problem but the solution to the social, political and moral dysfunction that characterises much of today’s world.

Sharia and Fiqh: A Critical Distinction

A fundamental confusion underlies modern debates: sharia in the Quran does not mean the same thing as the elaborate legal systems now presented as “Islamic law”. Sharia in the Quran is the path or decree laid down by God, whereas fiqh—the jurisprudence produced by scholars—is a deeply flawed attempt to understand and apply that will.

Fiqh-based sharia is built not on the Quran alone but on hadith literature compiled around two centuries after Muhammad’s death. These supplementary texts often contradict the Quran and reflect tribal customs, political struggles and the biases of the men who recorded them. Inevitably, the result is fallible. It is also inconsistent: sharia looks different in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan or Malaysia because each legal tradition is shaped by its own culture, clergy, sectarian loyalties and political interests.

The term sharia has therefore been effectively hijacked by Sunni and Shia orthodoxy alike. Rather than referring to the Quranic decrees common to earlier messengers, it now denotes sect-specific law codes that often diverge sharply from the very legislation they claim to represent.

Sharia as Control

For many Muslims, sharia is treated as an all-encompassing authority, consulted for even the smallest matters. A person unsure whether to attend an after-work gathering might seek a ruling from a cleric to ensure their behaviour is “within the limits”. These rulings—fatwas—carry enormous weight, despite frequently lacking a Quranic basis. The authority of imams becomes an echo of the very behaviour the Quran warns against: elevating human decrees to the level of divine command.

Women, in particular, suffer under the weight of this man-made legalism. Hudud laws—derived from hadith rather than the Quran—have led to miscarriages of justice, as seen starkly under the Taliban in Afghanistan. Accusations of adultery or impropriety can place women at severe risk in systems where clerical judgement eclipses Quranic principles of fairness, evidence and due process.

The Quran mentions sharia only a handful of times, and always in reference to God’s decrees. It never outlines a detailed penal code, nor does it endorse the harsh punishments commonly associated with contemporary sharia systems. Those punishments arise from hadith and legal schools, not from the Quran.

The Western Panic

Given the documented abuses—floggings, amputations, public stonings—it is unsurprising that rational people increasingly view sharia as a threat. Yet their alarm rests on the same misunderstanding: conflating Quranic decrees with clerical legislation built on dubious texts. Hadith-based sharia produces interpretations that are misogynistic, violent and intolerant. When such practices are projected as “Islamic”, they fuel anti-Muslim sentiment and paradoxically assist extremist groups, which rely on sensational distortions to recruit.

The Muslim world does not speak with one legal voice, despite the illusion of a unified system. Sunni and Shia traditions each contain multiple schools of thought, all differing in how literally or broadly they interpret inherited texts. These interpretative struggles have persisted for centuries—evidence less of rich intellectual diversity than of deep confusion about the Quran itself.

Still, most Muslim scholars agree on several points about today’s sharia:

·         It is not fixed but constantly changing.

·         There is no single, monolithic sharia; instead, various sects interpret it differently.

·         While much of it concerns personal religious observance, it also extends into every corner of public and private life, often in intrusive ways.

Sharia in the Quran: A Different Vision

If sharia has become synonymous with oppression, it is because its Quranic meaning has been eclipsed. Quranic sharia is not a legal code administered by clerics but a set of principles enabling societies to uphold justice, fairness, integrity and social harmony. It functions as a framework within which human legislators can make context-appropriate laws without violating fundamental ethical boundaries.

Reading Verse 42.13 attentively reveals a coherent message: God alone provides the principle of Deen-Islam—the moral and ethical framework shared by earlier messemgers. When societies stray from these basic decrees, they descend into injustice, inequity and fragmentation. The Quran treats this divergence not as a theological quibble but as a civilisational danger.

The Quranic sharia—what might be called sharia a-Deen—is consistent, rational and aimed at securing peace and dignity for all. Its purpose is not punishment but protection: safeguarding the rights of the vulnerable, ensuring economic fairness, prohibiting exploitation, restraining tyrannical authority and cultivating a community based on ethical responsibility rather than clerical control.

Sharia and Modern Europe

It is true that some religious activists seek recognition for sharia-based rulings within European legal systems. The concern is legitimate: importing hadith-driven codes that conflict with the Quran would be disastrous. Such codes undermine women’s rights, enforce patriarchal norms and threaten social cohesion.

However, refusing the abusive forms of sharia should not prevent a deeper public understanding of what the Quran actually means by the term. Quranic sharia offers a moral architecture shaped by justice, equality and compassion—values that resonate far beyond religious boundaries. These enduring principles can enrich modern legislation, provided they are freed from the distortions of clerical orthodoxy.

Reviving the Quranic Path

The challenge ahead is not to install sharia as currently imagined, but to recover its original meaning. The Quranic understanding of sharia—God’s decrees for a just order—must be separated from the punitive, politically manipulated systems claiming its name. This requires a critical return to the Quran, an honest reckoning with centuries of tradition and the courage to discard practices that contradict the Quran itself.

Humanity faces profound crises: social fragmentation, political decay, rampant inequality and the erosion of moral responsibility. The Quran’s vision of sharia offers a counterbalance: a principled, coherent framework for ethical life. Reviving this vision is not merely an ideological project; it is a social necessity.

Before human societies unravel further, the Quranic sharia a-Deen—fair, balanced and rooted in justice—needs to be reclaimed from those who have distorted it and restored as a guide for building peaceful, humane and sustainable communities.

© 2026 Paigham Mustafa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paigham Mustafa has been engaged in the study and research of the Quran since 1988 and has contributed to the print media for over 37 years. His first major work, The Quran: God’s Message to Mankind, was published in 2016, followed by The Divine Blueprint in 2022. He is also the author of How To Be Human, published in 2025. His exegesis of the Quran often challenges traditional readings, offering instead a reasoned and objective analysis of the original text. His works provide essential guidance,  helping readers gain a clearer, more informed understanding of Islam. This helps address many of the issues that stem from misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and misconceptions

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