alAkhkam

Al-Akhkam (الأحكام) is a term in Islamic jurisprudence used to denote the normative rulings that govern human actions within Sharia. The root word hukm means a decision or ruling, and al-Akhkam refers to the classifications by which Islamic law judges acts as permissible, obligatory, recommended, discouraged, or forbidden. The concept is central to fiqh (jurisprudence) and appears across Sunni and Shia legal texts.

Most classical fiqh organizes al-Akhkam into five main categories, though some discussions treat four. These are: wajib or fard (an obligatory act that must be performed); mandub or mustahabb (an act that is rewarded but not required); mubah (an act that is permissible with no virtue or blame); makruh (an act discouraged but not forbidden); and haram (an act that is forbidden and punishable). Some scholars distinguish between fard and wajib, while others use the umbrella term obligatory for both.

Rulings are derived from sources recognized in Islamic law. The Qur’an and the Sunnah are primary sources; ijma’ (consensus) and qiyas (analogical reasoning) are commonly used to extend rulings to new situations. Other tools found in different legal traditions include istihsan (juristic preference) and maslaha (public interest). While the fivefold framework is widespread, details and conclusions may vary among the major schools of law (madhahib) such as Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali.

Together, al-Akhkam provide a framework for assessing worship, transactions, personal conduct, and other matters within Islamic law, reflecting both shared principles and diverse interpretive approaches.