The Shari’ah is the manifestation of the laws of Allah set on earth – these are not just mere legal laws, but encompass rituals, manners, customs etc. They are legislated through his divine book and the teachings of the Prophet (saws) and are set to establish justice and mercy and therefore *systemically* promote human welfare.

This last point is important because as limited beings, we will never comprehend the directives of the creator. Allah is most aware of the overall impact upon mankind of the guidelines he has set (and what he has forbidden) and we as humankind cannot even fathom his wisdom.

In its base form then, the Shari’ah is about facilitating a life of obedience to Allah following a framework that *He* (swt) is pleased with. It’s not just servicing a particular group, but about protecting and honoring the individual, the family, the community and the nation. To understand the breadth of it’s scope (and to realise it’s not just about penalties!), the scholars are in general agreement that the objectives of the Shari’ah are five;

1) Preservation of life

2) Preservation of religion

3) Preservation of intellect

4) Preservation of lineage

5) Preservation of property

We need to understand that these principles and the establishment of righteousness is timeless and not set to specific preferences or periods of time. It’s not a democracy that changes based on the desires of the people. It is not determined by man, but by the Lord of the Worlds.