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Sharia

American  
[shuh-ree-uh, shah-ree-ah] / ʃəˈri ə, ʃɑˈri ɑ /
Or Shariah,

noun

Islam.
  1. law, seen as deriving from the Quran, hadith, ijmaʿ, and qiyas.


sharia British  
/ ʃəˈriːə /

noun

  1. the body of canonical law based on the Koran that lays down certain duties and penalties for Muslims

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Sharia

First recorded in 1855–60; from Arabic sharīʿah “law,” from sharaʿa “to prescribe”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Minister Khalid Hanafi said it was the government's "responsibility to guide the nation to have an appearance according to sharia", or Islamic law.

From Barron's

Sharia, often called “sharia law” by those on the right, refers to a set of Islamic religious laws, with multiple interpretations that have been invoked in a variety of political strains, ranging from pro-democracy to fundamentalist movements.

From Salon

In the hearings, which even featured some Republicans questioning whether such a law was needed, supporters of the ban cited claims brought by an Arizona resident, who said that he heard from a real estate agent that the hypothetical Qatar City would be a community governed by sharia.

From Salon

It is blamed on a group referred to as "Al-Shabaab" by locals and authorities -- despite no known link to the Somali jihadist group -- that seeks to impose Sharia law in Cabo Delgado, a neglected outpost that has become fertile ground for radical ideology.

From Barron's

A client he had been travelling with to a sharia court hearing was among the 18 dead, Sajili said.

From Barron's