(Arabic)
ijma refers to the
consensus of the
umma[?], the community of
Muslims, those practicing
Islam.
Islamic law prescribes specific means of
consensus decision making which Muslims are to follow in making and enforcing law. The independent thought of each participant is called the
ijtihad, and has often been suppressed during the long history of
sharia and
Islam itself. Modern reformers of Muslim practice point to suppressions of ijma under the
Ottoman Empire and seek to restore
consensus decision making to religious, and ultimately political life. The
grassroots democracy that would result would probably resemble progressive secular methods more than proponents of medieval
sharia would feel comfortable with.
See also: Five Pillars of Islam, Four Pillars of the Green Party, deliberative democracy, consensus decision making, sharia, ijtihad