Ahwal

Ahwal is a term in Islamic jurisprudence that means “conditions” or “states” in Arabic (أَحْوال). In scholarly usage, it denotes a specific branch of fiqh known as fiqh al-ahwal al-shakhsiya, or personal status law. This field focuses on the legal status and capacity of individuals and the rules governing family relations and related duties and rights.

The scope of ahwal includes matters such as puberty and legal capacity, guardianship and wardship, engagement and marriage contracts, divorce and dissolution of marriage, maintenance and support, legitimacy and paternity, and the custody and welfare of children. It also covers inheritance, succession, and the administration of a minor’s or incapacitated person’s affairs. The precise rules and procedures can vary significantly across different Islamic legal schools and, in modern times, across national legal systems.

Historically, classical jurists from the major Sunni schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali) as well as Shia scholars produced extensive works on ahwal, laying the groundwork for personal status law in many Muslim societies. In the contemporary era, many countries have codified ahwal into formal family or civil codes, integrating traditional jurisprudence with modern statutory frameworks. While the core ideas of ahwal revolve around personal status and family rights, the application and detail of its rules reflect cultural, political, and legal contexts of each jurisdiction.

In general usage outside legal contexts, ahwal can simply denote circumstances or conditions, but in legal discussions it most often refers to personal status matters.