COMPULSION. Arabic Ikrah اكرة
Muslim law makes provision for persons acting under compulsion, when the person who compels has it in his power to execute orders, he be king or a thief. (Hidayah, vol. iii. p. 452.) E.g. a person forced into a contract may dissolve it. A Muslim may lawfully eat food which is prohibited if he be compelled to do so, being threatened with loss of life or limb. Nor is a Muslim guilty of sin who declares himself an unbeliever when the loss of a limb or of life is threatened. According to the Imam Abu Hanifah, if a Muslim be compelled to divorce his wife, the divorce is valid; but with him the other three Imams are not agreed to this ruling.
Muslim law makes provision for persons acting under compulsion, when the person who compels has it in his power to execute orders, he be king or a thief. (Hidayah, vol. iii. p. 452.) E.g. a person forced into a contract may dissolve it. A Muslim may lawfully eat food which is prohibited if he be compelled to do so, being threatened with loss of life or limb. Nor is a Muslim guilty of sin who declares himself an unbeliever when the loss of a limb or of life is threatened. According to the Imam Abu Hanifah, if a Muslim be compelled to divorce his wife, the divorce is valid; but with him the other three Imams are not agreed to this ruling.
Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam
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