VII.—IJMAʾ.
Ijmaʾ is the third foundation of the Muhammadan rule of faith. It literally means collecting, or assembling, and in Muslim divinity it expresses the unanimous consent of the Mujtahidín (learned doctors); or, as we should call it, 'the unanimous consent of the Fathers." A Mujtahid is a Muslim divine of the highest degree of learning, a title usually conferred by Muslim rulers. There are three foundations of Ijmaʾ: (1) Itifáq-i-Qauli, unanimous consent expressed in declaration of opinion; (2) Itifáq-i-Fiʾli, expressed in unanimity of practice; (3) Itifáq-i-Saqúti, when the majority of the Mujtahidín signified their tacit assent to the opinions of the minority by "silence" or non-interference.
The Mujtahidín, capable of making Ijmaʾ, must be "men of learning and piety, not heretics, nor fools, but men of judgment."
There is great diversity of opinion as to up to what period in the history of Islám, Ijmaʾ can be accepted. Some doctors assert that only the Ijmaʾ of the Mujtahidín who were Asháb (companions); others, that of those who were not only "companions" but descendants" of the "Prophet," can be accepted; whilst others accept the Ijmaʾ of the Ansárs, (helpers,) and of the Muhájarín, (fugitives,) who were dwellers in Medina with Muhammad. The majority of learned Muslim divines, however, appear to think that Ijmaʾ may be collected in every age, although they admit that, owing to the numerous divisions which have arisen amongst Muhammadans, it has not been possible since the days of the Tabaʾ Tabaʾín, (i.e., the followers of the followers of the companions).
The following is considered to be the relative value of Ijmaʾ:—
That of the Asháb (companions) is equal to Hadís Mutawátir. That which was decided afterwards, but in accordance with the unanimous opinion of the Asháb, is equal to Hadís Khaber-i-Mashhúr, and that upon which there was diversity of opinion amongst the Asháb, but has since been decided by the later Mujtahidín is equal to Hadís-i-Khabar-i-Wáhid.
Amongst the Shíʾahs, we believe, there are still Mujtahidín whose Ijmaʾ is accepted, but the Sunnis have four orthodox schools of interpretation, named after their respective founders, Hanafí, Sháfaʾi, Máliki, and Hambali. The Wahhábis for the most part reject Ijmaʾ collected after the death of "the Companions."
From these remarks, it will be easily understood what a fruitful source of religious dissension and sectarian strife this third foundation of the rule of faith is. Divided as the Christian Church is by its numerous sects, it will compare favourably with Muhammadanism even in this respect. Muhammad, it is related, prophesied that as the Jewish Church had been divided into seventy-one sects! and the Christians into seventy-two! so his followers would be divided into seventy-three sects[1]; but every Muslim historian is obliged to admit that they have far exceeded the limits of Muhammad's prophecy; for, according to Abdul Qádir Jiláni, there are at least 150.
- ↑ The seventy-three sects are, according to some writers, distributed as follows:—Shiaʾh 31, Mʾutazilah 21, Khawárij 7, Murjíah 5, Najáriah 3, Jabariyah 2, Mushabiyah 1, and Nájíah (the term used for the orthodox).