shari'a
UK[ʃəˈriːə]US[ʃəˈriːə]
n
the religious legal system governing the members of the islamic faith, derived from the quran and the teachings of the prophet muhammad.
Etymology
the word "shari'a" is an arabic term (شَرِيعَة) meaning "path" or "way to the water source." in a religious context, it came to signify the divine law, the clear path ordained by god for human conduct. it entered english in the 19th century through scholarly and colonial discourse on islamic societies. the term retains its original arabic spelling and pronunciation in english, reflecting its status as a specific, untranslated concept central to islam.
Analysis
this word is a direct loanword from arabic. it is not segmentable using english morpheme boundaries.
Examples
the country's constitution states that shari'a is a principal source of legislation.
he is a scholar specializing in islamic law, or shari'a.
the court ruled according to the principles of shari'a.