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1. What is fiqh al-awlawiyyat (فقه الأولويات)?
Meaning: "the legal understanding of what must be given priority."
Explanation
A Muslim:
- must not give priority to what is unimportant over what is important.
- must not give priority to what is important over what is most important.
- must give priority to what deserves priority.
- must put later what should be put later.
- must not neglect what is serious.
2. Everyday examples
Example 1: Drought vs a third 'umrah
- The people of an area are suffering from drought and struggling to meet their daily needs.
- At the same time, a group is getting ready to perform its third 'umrah.
- Priority: from both the religious and the social point of view, giving relief aid takes priority at that time over a third 'umrah.
Example 2: Youth
- Youth = a training period for a prosperous future.
- "Make use of your youth before old age comes" – the Prophet ﷺ.
- What must come first at this stage: knowledge, skills, emotional maturity and spiritual training that set life in order.
- Not suitable: spending time on play, revelry and idle entertainment.
3. Priorities shown by the Quran and the Sunnah
(1) Gradual order
- The Quran was not revealed all at once.
- It was revealed in stages over twenty-three (23) years, according to social, political and economic needs.
- The reason: its teachings were to be put into practice step by step.
- The Prophet ﷺ too, in his da'wah, put first what should come first.
- When introducing laws, the Quran and the Sunnah followed a gradual order.
(2) Putting the better first
- Allah gave the Children of Israel a valuable food called manna and quails (al-mann was-salwa).
- But they asked Musa (AS) for ordinary food.
- Allah condemned this and told them to prefer the manna and quails (2:61).
(3) Substance over outward form
- When a dispute arose over whether the qiblah of the Jews or the qiblah of the Muslims was right, the Quran said there is no virtue in merely facing directions; the good lies in the substance of deeds – iman and good deeds (2:177).
(4) Peace rather than war
- In Islam, peace is the rule; war is the exception.
(5) More evidence
| Matter | Priority | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage | A believer rather than a mushrik | 2:221 |
| Effort | Effort for the Hereafter rather than effort for this world | 16:30 |
(6) Da'wah – the individual or the community?
- The Makkan period: priority to forming individuals (by forming individuals, a community can be formed).
- The reason: the physical and social conditions found in the societies of Makkah and Madinah.
- Later: priority to the community rather than individuals; the community itself carried the da'wah forward.
- The Quran praised that community as "khayra ummah" (خير أمة) – the best community.
4. Why is fiqh al-awlawiyyat important?
- Every matter has its own value and worth.
- When things are not given their due at the right time, social injustice results.
- When attention is too much or too little, confusion results.
- When less valuable things come forward and more valuable things are pushed back, there is turmoil.
The five levels of rulings in the Shari'ah
The Shari'ah does not see all matters at the same level. The legal scholars ranked them:
| Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fard (فرض) | Obligatory duty |
| Wajib (واجب) | Compulsory |
| Ja'iz (جائز) | Permitted |
| Makruh (مكروه) | Disliked |
| Haram (حرام) | Forbidden |
Basic rules
- A sunnah cannot come before a fard.
- The haram cannot come before the halal.
- Falsehood must not overcome truth.
- The unqualified must not take precedence over the qualified.
Comparisons in the Quran
- (35:19–22) – meaning: the blind and the seeing, darkness and light, shade and heat, the living and the dead are not equal.
- (39:9) – meaning: those who know and those who do not know are not equal.
5. Priorities in the hadith – suited to each person
- The Prophet ﷺ gave priority to different things according to the situation and each person's character.
- When asked "What is the best deed?":
- to one person he answered → "Praying on time."
- to another → "Believing in Allah."
- Although all of them were Companions, he gave advice centred on each one's needs, state of mind and weaknesses.
6. Today's urgent need
- Because of individual character, circumstances, changing times and growth of knowledge, knowing what to put first is an urgent need today.
- Not putting first what should come first is making social problems grow.
- Slackness in the wajib matter of staying united has pushed the Muslim community towards division.
The example of the Companions – choosing the caliph
- After the Prophet's ﷺ death, the Companions followed this approach in choosing the caliph.
- Of the three – Abu 'Ubaydah (RA), 'Umar (RA) and Abu Bakr (RA) – putting Abu Bakr (RA) forward was an act of foresight.
- Their choice protected the caliphate (khilafah).
Quick revision
- Fiqh al-awlawiyyat = the legal understanding of what must be given priority.
- Examples: drought relief > a third 'umrah; in youth, knowledge and skills > revelry.
- The Quran was revealed gradually over 23 years.
- Manna and quails (2:61); the qiblah dispute – substance > form (2:177); a believer > a mushrik (2:221); effort for the Hereafter > this world (16:30).
- Peace is the rule; war is the exception.
- Makkah – forming individuals; later – the community; "khayra ummah".
- Levels: fard, wajib, ja'iz, makruh, haram; a sunnah does not come before a fard; the haram does not come before the halal.
- 35:19–22, 39:9 – things that are not equal.
- Choosing Abu Bakr (RA) as caliph = foresight; the caliphate was protected.