Sharika (shirkat) so'zi lug'atda ikki yoki undan ortiq ulushlarni shunday aralashtirishni anglatadiki, ulardan birini ikkinchisidan ajratib bo'lmaydi. Shar'iy ma'noda sharika ikki yoki undan ortiq shaxs o'rtasidagi shartnoma bo'lib, ular foyda olish niyatida moliyaviy ish olib borishga kelishadilar. Sharika shartnomasi, barcha islomiy shartnomalar kabi, ijob va qabulning mavjudligini talab qiladi. Ijob bir tomon ikkinchi tomonga: "Men sen bilan falon narsada sherik bo'ldim", deganda yuz beradi, ikkinchi tomon esa: "Qabul qildim", deb javob beradi. Aynan shu so'zlar shart emas, lekin ma'no shart. Ijob va qabulda tomonlardan biri ikkinchisiga og'zaki yoki yozma ravishda biror narsadagi sheriklik masalasida murojaat qilganini va ikkinchisi uni qabul qilganini bildiradigan narsa bo'lishi kerak. Shuning uchun faqat sheriklik to'g'risidagi kelishuv shartnoma hisoblanmaydi. Sheriklik uchun pul yoki mol to'lash to'g'risidagi kelishuv ham shartnoma sanalmaydi. Balki shartnomada biror narsadagi sheriklik tushunchasi bo'lishi shart. Islomda sherikchilik shartnomasi to'g'ri bo'lishining sharti shundaki, shartnoma tuzilayotgan narsa tasarruf huquqi bo'lishi kerak, bu tasarruf huquqi esa vakolat (Vakola) orqali berilishi mumkin bo'lishi lozim, shunda tasarruf natijasida olingan narsa ikki sherik o'rtasida taqsimlanadi.

Company (Ash-Sharika) linguistically means mixing two or more shares together such that neither can be distinguished from the other. Company in Shar’a is a contract between two or more persons, in which they agree to perform financial work with the intention of making profit. The contract of the company requires the existence of both offer and acceptance, as is the case with all Islamic contracts. An offer occurs when one party says to the other: ‘I entered into partnership with you in such and such’ and the other party replies by saying, ‘I accepted.’ These actual words are not necessary but the meaning is. There must occur in the offer and acceptance something that indicates that one of the parties addressed the other orally or in writing on the matter of partnership over something, and the other accepted. Therefore, an agreement on partnership only does not represent a contract. An agreement to pay money or property for partnership is also not considered a contract as well. Rather, the contract must include the concept of partnership in something. The condition of validity of the partnership contract in Islam requires that the contracted matter be a right of disposal and that this right of disposal, over which the company contract is concluded, is suitable for representation (Wakala) such that what is gained by the disposal is shared between the two partners.

Islomda sherikchilik ruxsat etilgan, chunki Muhammad (alayhissalom) elchi sifatida yuborilganida odamlar kompaniyalar bilan savdo-sotiq qilar edilar va u (alayhissalom) buni man qilmagan. Al-Buxoriy Abu al-Minhaldan rivoyat qilgan: “Men va mening sherigim bir narsani naqd va nasiya bilan sotib oldik. Al-Bara ibn Azib bizning oldimizga keldi va biz undan bu haqda so‘radik. U dedi: ‘Mening sherigim Zayd ibn al-Arqam va men ham xuddi shunday qildik va biz bu haqda Payg‘ambardan (alayhissalom) so‘radik.’ U (alayhissalom) dedi: ‘Naqd bo‘lgan narsani olinglar, nasiya bo‘lgan narsani esa qaytaringlar.’” Ad-Daraqutniy Abu Hurayradan rivoyat qilgan: Payg‘ambar (alayhissalom) dedi: “Allohi Taolo dedi: ‘Ikki sherikdan biri o‘z hamkoriga xiyonat qilmagunicha, men ularning uchinchisiman. Agar xiyonat qilsa, men ulardan chiqib ketaman.’” Sherikchilik musulmonlar orasida, zimmiylar (Islom hokimiyati ostida yashovchi musulmon bo‘lmagan kishilar) orasida va musulmonlar bilan zimmiylar orasida ruxsat etilgan. Shuning uchun musulmonning nasroniy, otashparast yoki boshqa zimmiy bilan sherik bo‘lishi joizdir. Muslim Abdulloh ibn Umardan rivoyat qilgan, u shunday degan: “Payg‘ambar (alayhissalom) Xaybar aholisi, ya’ni yahudiylar bilan yerning ekin yoki meva hosilining yarmiga shartnoma tuzdi.” Buxoriyning Oishadan qilgan boshqa rivoyatida: “Payg‘ambar (alayhissalom) Madinada bir yahudiydan oziq-ovqat sotib oldi va unga garov sifatida o‘z qalqonini berdi.” At-Termiziy Ibn Abbosdan rivoyat qilgan, u shunday degan: “Payg‘ambar (alayhissalom) vafot etganda, uning qalqoni oilasi uchun olgan yigirma sa’ bug‘doy evaziga garovda turgan edi.” At-Termiziy Oishadan rivoyat qilgan: “Allohning Elchisi (alayhissalom) bir yahudiyni chaqirtirib, undan ikki kiyim so‘radi va (to‘lov) farovonlik vaqtigacha kutishini aytdi.” Demak, yahudiy va nasroniylar hamda boshqa zimmiylar bilan sherikchilik qilish joizdir, chunki ular bilan muomala qilish mubohdir. Biroq, zimmiylar musulmonlar bilan sherik bo‘lgan holda aroq va cho‘chqa go‘shti sotishga ruxsat etilmagan. Muslimga sherik bo‘lishdan oldin zimmiy spirtli ichimliklarni sotgan bo‘lishi mumkin, va bu sotuvdan olingan daromad kompaniya uchun halol bo‘ladi. Sherikchilik faqat mulkni tasarruf qilish huquqi ruxsat etilgan kishilar o‘rtasida to‘g‘ri bo‘ladi, chunki u mulkni tasarruf qilishga asoslangan shartnomadir. Shunga ko‘ra, mulkni tasarruf qilishdan man etilgan shaxs bilan kompaniya tuzish noto‘g‘ri bo‘ladi. Shuningdek, vasiylik ostiga qo‘yilgan shaxs yoki tasarruf huquqi ruxsat etilmagan shaxs bilan sherikchilik qilish ham joiz emas.

Partnership is allowed in Islam because when Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as a Messenger people were dealing with companies and He (pbuh) did not forbid this. Al Bukhari narrated that Abu Al-Minhal said: “I and my partner bought something in cash and credit. Al-Bara ibn ‘Azib came to us so we asked Him about this. He said: ‘My partner, Zaid ibn Al-Arqam, and I did the same and we asked the Prophet (pbuh) about this.’ He (pbuh) said: ‘That which is in cash you take, and that which is in credit you return it back.”’ Ad-Daraqutni narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Allah the Supreme said ‘I am the third of the two partners as long as one of them does not betray his companion. If He betrayed, I would withdraw from them.”’ Partnership is allowed amongst Muslims, Dhimmis (non-Muslims living under Islamic authority), and between Muslims and Dhimmis. So it is allowed for a Muslim to enter into partnership with a Christian, a fireworshipper or other Dhimmis. Muslim narrated from Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who said: ‘The Prophet (pbuh) dealt with the people of Khaybar, who were Jews, for half of the land production of plant or fruit.’ In another narration by Bukhari from Aisha: “The Prophet (pbuh) bought food from a Jew in Madinah and He deposited his armour with Him as security.” At-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas who said ‘The Prophet (pbuh) passed away while his armour was left as a security in return for twenty cubic measures (Sa’a) of food which He took for his family.’ At-Tirmidhi narrated from Aisha that ‘the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent for a Jew asking Him for two garments (and to wait) until (the time of) prosperity.’ Entering into partnership with Jews and Christians and other Dhimmis is therefore allowed, as dealing with them is permissible. However, Dhimmis are not allowed to sell alcohol and pork while acting as partners with Muslims. Prior to forming a partnership with a Muslim, a Dhimmi may have sold alcohol, the proceeds of which would be Halal for the company. Partnership is only valid between people whose right of disposal is allowed, for it is a contract based upon the disposal of property. It follows that it is invalid to form a company with a person who is prevented from disposal of property. It is also not allowed to enter into partnership with a person who is placed under guardianship, or a person whose right of disposal is not allowed.

Sheriklik mulkdorlik sherikligi yoki shartnoma sherikligi bo‘lishi mumkin. Mulk sherikligi – bu aktivlar sherikligi bo‘lib, meros qilib olingan, sotib olingan yoki sovg‘a qilingan mulkdagi sheriklik kabidir. Shartnoma sherikligi esa mulk egaligini oshirish bilan bog‘liq muhokama mavzusidir. Islomdagi sheriklik shartnomalari hamda ularga oid shar’iy hukmlarni o‘rganishdan shunday xulosa chiqarish mumkinki, Islomda sherikchilikning besh turi mavjud. Bular: Al-‘Inan (teng), Al-Abdan (jismoniy mehnat), Al-Mudoraba (ikki yoki undan ortiq shaxs), Al-Vujuh (obro‘-e’tibor) va Al-Mufavada (kelishuv).

Partnership is either a partnership of properties or a partnership of contracts. The company of properties is a company of assets, such as partnership in a property that has been inherited, bought or gifted. The company of contracts is the subject of discussion regarding increasing of ownership. From the examination of partnership contracts in Islam, and the divine rules (Ahkam Shar’iyah) related to them it can be concluded that there are five types of company in Islam. These are Al-’Inan (equal), Al- Abdan (bodies), Al-Mudharaba (two or more), Al-Wujooh (faces) and Al- Mufawadha (negotiation).