ISLAM
groups adhere to. Shari'ah constitutes a system of duties that are incumbent upon a Muslim by
virtue of his or her religious belief. The Koran set the rights, the responsibilities and the rules
for people and for societies to adhere to. Muhammad provided an example, which is recorded
in the hadith books, showing how he practically implemented those rules in a scoiety. Many
of the Sharia laws that differ are devised through Ijtihad where there is no such ruling in the
Koran or the Hadiths of Islamic prophet Muhammad regarding a similar case.
As Muhammad's companions went to new areas, they were pragmatic and in some cases
continued to use the same ruling as was given in that area during pre-Islamic times. If the
population felt comfortable with it, it was just and they used Ijtihad to deduce that it did not
conflict with the Quran or the Hadith. This made it easier for the different communities to
annaabi.ee 
