Home › Glossary › Letter Q

Qiyas

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Analogical reasoning in Islamic jurisprudence, applying a known ruling to a new case based on shared underlying cause (‘illah).

Detailed Definition
Qiyas allows Shariah to address novel situations by extending principles from established texts. In poetry, qiyas represents intellectual creativity within bounds—like a poet using classical forms for new emotions. Poets may liken it to a lamp extending light into dark corners, showing how divine law remains relevant through disciplined analogy, not arbitrary change.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem on reasoning: “Qiyās is the bridge from known rulings to new dilemmas”; In a modern verse, “Using qiyās, scholars ruled IVF halal—because lineage matters”; A minimalist reflection: “Qiyās: logic rooted in revelation”; A student’s note: “Qiyās isn’t innovation—it’s faithful extension.”
Additional Notes
Qiyas is one of the four primary sources of Islamic law (Usul al-Fiqh), along with the Quran, Sunnah, and Ijma (consensus). It is analogical reasoning, where a ruling from a known case in the primary texts is applied to a new case because they share the same effective cause (illah). For example, the Quran's prohibition of wine is extended to all intoxicants via Qiyas. It allows for the application of Shariah to new contexts.
Also Known As
Analogical Reasoning
Skip to main content