What is the meaning of "Sharia" mentioned in the verse: "Then We made you follow a Sharia of the matter, so follow it and do not follow the whims of those who do not know," and is it the religion, the legislation, or the Qur'an and Sunnah?

The early Muslims differed in their interpretations of the meaning of Sharia; some explained it as encompassing the entire religion, while others defined it as commandments, prohibitions, and legal punishments. The linguistic meaning of the word Sharia is a place where people come to drink water. Al-Qurtubi favored the view that Sharia means the way or path of religion, which is the religion of Islam. He stated that Allah Almighty did not differentiate between the divine laws (shara’i’) in terms of monotheism, noble morals, and interests, but rather varied them in their secondary rulings. Al-Qasimi said that "Then We put you, [O Muhammad], on an ordained way (Sharia) of religion" means on a path and methodology of the religious matter that was commanded to previous messengers.