Shariah is a set of rules and laws that direct Muslim world. Shariah is an Arabic term which literally means the clear and well-trodden path that leads to the water.
Shariah is based on Quran, the Sunnah (teachings) of Mohammed and fatwa or hadith. The Quran is considered the direct word of Allah (Arabic term for God), Sunnah is the second source of guidance and fatwa - the rulings of other Islamic scholars during the first two centuries of Islam.
The most important of the rules pertaining to prayers, fasting and donations to the poor are stated in this code of law. Also included are those governing religious, political, social and private lives.
