That which the Ijmaa’ is rests upon (Mustanad):
1 – The Ijmaa’ is not convened except upon a relied upon basis (Mustanad) that the people of Ijmaa’ rely upon. This is the view of most of the Fuqahaa’ and the ‘Ulamaa of Usool ul-Fiqh. That is because the people of Ijmaa’ do not come up with new Ahkaam without a Daleel and that is due to the right of bringing legislation belongs to Allah Ta’Aalaa and the Nabi (saw) whom Allah Ta’Aalaa revealed divine inspiration to.
The ‘Ulamaa have agreed upon the permissibility for the rested upon basis (Mustanad) for the Ijmaa’ to be the Kitaab and the Sunnah. The following are some examples that they brought to show the linkage to the Ijmaa’:
From the Kitaab:
Allah Ta’Aalaa said:
Prohibited to you (in marriage) are your mothers and your daughters (An-Nisaa’ 23).
An Ijmaa’ was convened in respect to the intended meaning of ‘mothers’ is the roots or origins of women like grandmothers and great grandmothers and that the intended meaning of daughters are the branches of the women like daughters, granddaughters from daughters and sons and their daughters.