Fard
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Fard (الفرض), mostly synonymous with wajib, is a term of Islamic law meaning compulsory. It is one of the five rulings (or ahkam) that Islamic jurisprudence applies to any action a person can take.
Types of fard
Fard refers to religious duties incumbent upon all Muslims, of which there are two types:
- Individual duty (الواجب العين, or fard al-ayn), which all Muslims are obligated to perform
- Sufficiency duty (الواجب الكفائي, or fard al-kifaya), a collective duty for believers that may not require each individual Muslim to perform; this type of duty is fulfilled so long as someone in the local community of Muslims is doing it
Fard vs. wajib
Hanafi fiqh differentiates between fard, as "that which is obligatory," and wajib, as "that which is necessary." An example of wajib is the performance of ritual ablution, or wudu, prior to performing daily prayers, which are themselves fard. In this example, it is simply necessary that a person perform wudu in order to complete their prayers, which are themselves obligatory, but performing wudu is not itself an obligation; in other words, a person is not required to make wudu at any point in the day.
Examples
The most notable examples of fard actions in Islam are the five pillars of Islam, which include stating the Shahadah (the Islamic testimony of faith), praying Salah, completing the Hajj, fasting during Ramadan, and giving Zakat.