The majority of the ‘Ulamaa have agreed that the Lafzh Al-‘Aamm (general expression) indicates and guides to all that the meaning of the Lafzh encompasses (in terms of a lot or many). If a Hukm Shar’iy is attached to this Lafzh then this Hukm would be ‘Aamm (general) and apply upon all of the Afraad (individual elements) that the meaning of the Lafzh encompasses. The ‘Aamm (general) will then remain upon its ‘Umoom (generality) as long as a Daleel has not come specifying it.

Example:

Allah (swt) said:

So the Lafzh Az-Zaaniyah and Az-Zaaniy both indicate generality because they are both Ism Mufrad Mu’arraf Bi ‘ال ‘Al-Jinsiyah (singular words defined with Alif and Laam of the kind/type). That is whilst the Hukm (ruling) is attached to this general Lafzh thus indicating that the Hukm of the one who commits Zinaa (fornication), male or female, is to be lashed with one hundred lashes. This ‘Aamm (general) remains upon its ‘Umoom (generality) as long as no other Daleel has come to specify it. And in this case another Daleel has come specifying it and that is the action (Fi’l) of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and his speech (Qawl). As for his Fi’l (action), then he stoned Al-Maa’iz and Al-Ghaamidiyah to death as they had been married when each of them had committed the act of Zinaa. As for his Qawl (speech) then he (saw) said: