---
title: "Islamic Sharia Law — AP Comp Gov Definition & Exam Guide"
description: "Sharia law is religious law from the Quran that became the legal foundation of Iran's theocracy after 1979. Key for AP Comp Gov Units 1 and 2 on authority and judiciaries."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/islamic-sharia-law"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Comparative Government"
unit: "Unit 1"
---

# Islamic Sharia Law — AP Comp Gov Definition & Exam Guide

## Definition

Islamic Sharia law is the body of religious legal principles derived from the Quran and Islamic tradition that became the foundation of Iran's theocratic regime after the 1979 Revolution, making religion (not a secular constitution alone) the core source of legal authority and requiring Iranian judges to be trained in it.

## What It Is

Islamic Sharia law is a legal system drawn from the Quran and Islamic religious tradition. In [AP Comp Gov](/ap-comp-gov "fv-autolink"), you study it almost entirely through one country: Iran. After the [1979 Revolution](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/1979-revolution "fv-autolink"), Iran transitioned from dictatorial rule under the Shah to a theocracy built on Sharia, meaning religious law sits at the top of the legal hierarchy. The regime's legitimacy flows from religion itself, not just from a constitution or popular vote.

This shapes Iran's institutions in concrete, testable ways. The Iranian judiciary's major function is to ensure the entire legal system stays consistent with religious law, so judges must be trained in Islamic Sharia law. The head of the judiciary is appointed by the Supreme Leader, which keeps the courts tied to clerical authority rather than acting as an independent check. Sharia also shows up in [Nigeria](/ap-comp-gov/review-by-country/nigeria/study-guide/4uuIc1WGkOGZPbz5 "fv-autolink"), where some northern states operate Sharia courts alongside the federal judiciary, a useful comparison case for federalism and legal pluralism.

## Why It Matters

[Sharia law](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/sharia-law "fv-autolink") sits at the intersection of two units. In [Unit 1](/ap-comp-gov/unit-1 "fv-autolink") (Topic 1.5), it answers the question "where does power and authority come from?" Learning objective 1.5.A lists religion as a source of authority, and the CED's specific example is Iran's transition to a theocracy based on Islamic Sharia law after 1979. In Unit 2 (Topic 2.8), learning objective 2.8.A asks you to describe judicial structures and functions, and the essential knowledge (PAU-3.G.1) names Iran's Sharia-trained judges as the defining feature of its judiciary. If you can explain how religious law functions as both a legitimacy source AND an institutional design choice, you've covered the two biggest ways Iran differs from the other five course countries.

## Connections

### [1979 Revolution (Unit 1)](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/1979-revolution)

Sharia didn't gradually seep into Iranian law. The 1979 Revolution swapped the [regime](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/regime "fv-autolink")'s foundation overnight, replacing the Shah's secular dictatorship with clerical rule grounded in religious law. The revolution is the cause; Sharia-based governance is the effect.

### [Charismatic authority (Unit 1)](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/charismatic-authority)

Ayatollah Khomeini's personal religious appeal powered the revolution, but charisma dies with the leader. Embedding Sharia into the [constitution](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/constitution "fv-autolink") and courts converted that charismatic authority into something durable and institutional. It's a textbook example of routinizing authority.

### Judicial Systems and rule of law vs. rule by law (Unit 2)

Iran's [judiciary](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/judiciary "fv-autolink") makes a great comparison with China's. China's courts are subservient to the Communist Party (rule by law), while Iran's courts are subservient to religious doctrine and the Supreme Leader, who appoints the head of the judiciary. Neither is an independent check, but the master they serve is different.

### [Common law (Unit 2)](/ap-comp-gov/key-terms/common-law)

The UK's common law evolves through judicial precedent built up over centuries. Sharia comes from a fixed religious source. Comparing the two shows how the origin of law shapes how much courts can change it.

## On the AP Exam

Multiple-choice questions usually test Sharia in one of three ways. First, judicial qualifications: Iranian judges must be trained in Sharia law, which is the feature that most clearly distinguishes Iran's judiciary from the other course countries'. Second, sources of authority: religion became the dominant source of power in Iran after 1979, a direct Topic 1.5 hit. Third, the Nigeria angle: questions can ask what comparative concept the coexistence of Nigeria's federal judiciary and state Sharia courts illustrates. On the free-response side, the 2025 SAQ asked you to compare limits on judicial power in two course countries, and Iran is a strong choice there because you can point to the Supreme Leader's appointment of the head of the judiciary and the requirement that law conform to religious doctrine. The move the exam rewards is connecting Sharia to specific institutions, not just saying "Iran is religious."

## Islamic Sharia law vs Common law

Both answer the question "where does the law come from?" but in opposite ways. Common law (the UK's system) builds law from accumulated judicial precedent, so judges effectively make law over time. Sharia law derives from the Quran and religious tradition, so Iranian judges interpret a fixed religious source and the judiciary's job is to keep the legal system aligned with it. On an MCQ, match common law to the UK and Sharia to Iran (and to some Nigerian states).

## Key Takeaways

- Islamic Sharia law is religious law derived from the Quran, and it became the basis of Iran's theocratic regime after the 1979 Revolution.
- Religion is one of the CED's listed sources of power and authority (Topic 1.5), and Iran's post-1979 theocracy is the exam's go-to example.
- The Iranian judiciary's main function is making sure the legal system follows religious law, so judges must be trained in Sharia (Topic 2.8).
- The Supreme Leader appoints the head of Iran's judiciary, which means the courts reinforce clerical authority rather than checking it.
- Nigeria offers a second Sharia example, where some northern states run Sharia courts alongside the federal judiciary, illustrating legal pluralism in a federal system.
- For comparison questions, contrast Iran's religiously controlled courts with China's party-controlled courts (rule by law) and the UK's precedent-based common law.

## FAQs

### What is Islamic Sharia law in AP Comp Gov?

It's the body of religious legal principles from the Quran and Islamic tradition that serves as the foundation of Iran's theocracy. After the 1979 Revolution, Iran's legal system was rebuilt so that all law must conform to Sharia, and judges must be trained in it.

### Is Iran the only AP Comp Gov country with Sharia law?

No. Iran is the only course country where Sharia is the foundation of the entire national legal system, but several northern Nigerian states operate Sharia courts alongside Nigeria's federal judiciary. The Nigeria case is tested as an example of legal pluralism within federalism.

### How is Sharia law different from common law?

Sharia is derived from a religious text and tradition, while common law (used in the UK) is built from judicial precedent that accumulates over time. In Iran, judges ensure law matches religious doctrine; in common law systems, judges' past rulings effectively become law.

### Did Iran always govern under Sharia law?

No. Before 1979, Iran was a dictatorship under the Shah with a more secular legal orientation. The 1979 Revolution transitioned Iran to a theocracy based on Islamic Sharia law, which is the exact regime change the CED highlights under sources of power and authority.

### What qualification do judges in Iran need?

Judges in Iran must be trained in Islamic Sharia law, because the judiciary's central function is keeping the legal system consistent with religious law. This requirement is the feature that most clearly distinguishes Iran's judiciary from the other five course countries.

## Related Study Guides

- [1.5 Sources of and Changes in Power and Authority](/ap-comp-gov/unit-1/sources-power-authority/study-guide/HAHdQvILHepxouwGUSXm)

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