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PROHIBITIONS THAT ARE TAKEN TOO LIGHTLY Contents Praise be to Allaah; we praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our evil deeds. Whomever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomever Allaah leaves astray, no-one will guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partners or associates, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has laid down obligations which we are not permitted to ignore, and has set limits which we are not permitted to transgress, and has set out prohibitions which we are not allowed to violate. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whatever Allaah has permitted in His Book is allowed, and whatever He has prohibited is forbidden; whatever He has remained silent about is a concession, so accept the concession of Allaah, for Allaah is never forgetful.” Then he recited the aayah: “. . . and your Lord is never forgetful” [Maryam 19:64]. (Reported by al-Haakim, 2/375; classified as hasan by al-Albaani in Ghaayat al-Maraam, p. 14) The things which have been prohibited are the boundaries or limits set by Allaah: “. . . And whosoever transgresses the set limits of Allaah, then indeed he has wronged himself . . .” [al-Talaaq 65:1] Allaah has issued a threat to the one who transgresses His set limits and violates His prohibitions, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:14] Avoiding that which has been forbidden is a duty, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whatever you have been prohibited to do, avoid it, and whatever you have been commanded to do, do as much of it as you can.” (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-fadaa’il, hadeeth no. 130, Abd al-Baaqi edition). It is well-known that some of those who follow their desires, who are weak at heart and have little knowledge, become irritated when they hear lists of prohibitions. They grumble and mutter, “Everything is haraam, you haven’t left us anything that is not forbidden! You make our lives boring and miserable. You don’t talk about anything but what is haraam, but religion is supposed to easy, not strict, and Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.” In response to such remarks, we say: Allaah, may He be glorified, rules as He wills and there is none to put back His judgement. He is All-Wise and Aware, and He allows whatever He wills and forbids whatever He wills, may He be glorified. One of the basic principles of our being His slaves is that we should accept whatever He decrees and submit fully to it. His rulings stem from His knowledge, wisdom and justice, and are not the matter of frivolity or foolish whims, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His words. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” [al-An’aam 6:115] Allaah has explained to us the governing principle behind the allowing and prohibiting of various things (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . He allows them as lawful al-tayyibaat [(i.e., all good and lawful) as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.], and prohibits them as unlawful al-khabaa’ith [(i.e., all evil and unlawful) as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.] . . .” [al-A’raaf 7:157]. So what is good and pure is halaal, and what is evil and unclean is haraam. The right to determine what is halaal and what is haraam belongs to Allaah alone. Whoever claims this right or affirms it for someone else is a kaafir whose extreme kufr places him beyond the pale of Islam, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allaah has not allowed? . . .” [al-Shooraa 42:21] Furthermore, no-one is allowed to speak about matters of halaal and haraam except those who have knowledge of the Qur'ân and Sunnah. Allaah has issued a stern warning to those who speak about halaal and haraam with no knowledge (interpretation of the meaning): “And say not concerning that which your tongues out forth falsely: ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allaah. . . .” [al-Nahl 16:116] Things which are definitively forbidden have been clearly stated in the Qur'ân and Sunnah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to al-fawaahish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand.” [al-An’aam 6:151] The Sunnah also mentions many prohibitions; for example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has forbidden the sale of wine (intoxicants), dead meat, pork and idols.” (Reported by Abu Dawud, 3486; see also Saheeh Abi Dawud, 977). “Whatever Allaah has forbidden, its price is also forbidden.” (Reported by al-Daaraqutni, 3/7; it is a saheeh hadeeth). Some texts mention specific types or groups of prohibitions, such as when Allaah forbids certain types of food (interpretation of the meaning): “Forbidden to you (for food) are: al-maytatah (the dead animals - cattle-beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and the meat of that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah, or has been slaughtered for idols, etc., or on which Allaah’s name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns - and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal - unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) - and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on al-nusub (stone altars). Forbidden) also is to use arrows seeking luck or decision . . .” [al-Maa’idah 5:3] Allaah has also mentioned that which is forbidden with regard to marriage, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your foster mother who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives’ mothers . . .”[al-Nisaa’ 4:23] Allaah also mentions what kind of earnings are forbidden, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . Allaah has permitted trading and forbidden riba (usury) . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:275] Allaah, Who is Merciful towards His slaves, has permitted innumerable good things, of many kinds. He has not described the permitted things in detail because they are so many; in contrast, He has described the prohibitions in detail because they are limited, so that we will be aware of them and can avoid them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity . . .” [al-An’aam 6:119] But what is halaal is permitted as a general principle: as long as something is good and pure, it is permitted: “O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:168] It is a part of His Mercy that He has made all things halaal in principle, except where there is proof (daleel) that they are haraam. This is part of His generosity and bounty towards His slaves, for which we must obey him, and give praise and thanks. When some people hear a detailed list of the things that are haraam, they become alarmed about the rules of Sharee’ah. This is due to their weak faith and poor understanding of Islaam. One cannot help wondering whether these people really want to be given a list of every type of thing that is halaal, so that they can be convinced that Islam is easy! Do they need for us to enumerate every type of good thing so that they can rest assured that Islam will not make their lives dreary? Do they want to be told that the meats of camels, cattle, sheep, rabbits, deer, goats, chickens, pigeons, ducks, geese and ostriches over which the name of Allaah has been mentioned, and fish and locusts, are halaal? That vegetables, herbs, fruits and edible seeds are halaal? That water, milk, honey, oil and vinegar are halaal? That salt, seasonings and spices are halaal? That using wood, iron, sand, stones, plastic, glass and rubber is halaal? That travelling via riding-beasts, cars, trains, ships and airplanes is halaal? That using air-conditioners, fridges, washing-machines, tumble-dryers, mills, dough-mixers, meat-grinders, juicers, medical instruments, engineering tools, calculators, microscopes, telescopes, machinery for extracting water, oil and minerals, filters for purifying water, printing presses and so on is halaal? That wearing cotton, linen, wool, camel hair, fur, permitted leathers, nylon and polyester is halaal? That in principle marriage, buying, selling, sponsorship, bills of exchange, renting, professions and trades such as carpentry, metalworking, repairing machines and tending sheep are all halaal? I wonder what would happen if we were to explain all this in detail to them. “And what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand any word?” [al-Nisaa’ 4:78] As regards their claim that Islaam is easy, this is true, but they are twisting the truth to try and prove something that is false. What is meant by saying that Islaam is easy is not that it is in accordance with their desires and opinions, but that is it easy in accordance with what the Sharee’ah has brought. There is a huge difference between violating prohibitions by making false claims about Islam being easy - although it is easy, beyond any doubt - and availing oneself of legitimate concessions such as being allowed to join or shorten prayers; to break one’s fast when travelling; to wipe one’s socks when performing wudoo’ - for one day and one night for a person who is not travelling, and for three days and three nights in the case of travelling; to perform tayammum when one is afraid to use water; to join two prayers together when one is sick or when rain is falling; to look at a non-mahram woman for purposes of marriage; to have the choice, in the case of making expiation for a broken vow, between freeing a slave or feeding or clothing the poor; to eat the meat of dead animals when necessary - and other kinds of concessions allowed by Sharee’ah. In addition to the above, the Muslim should realize that one principle underlies all the prohibitions in Islam: Allaah is testing His slaves by means of these prohibitions, to see what they will do. One of the things that distinguishes the people of Paradise from the people of Hell is that the people of Hell indulge in the desires with which the Fire is surrounded, whereas the people of Paradise patiently endure the hardships with which the Garden is surrounded. Were it not for this test, the obedient would not be distinguished from the disobedient. People of faith look at the difficulties involved from the perspective of the reward they will earn by pleasing Allaah, so obedience becomes easy for them. The hypocrites, on the other hand, view these difficulties as a matter of pain, suffering and deprivation, so obedience becomes a heavy burden on them. By foregoing what is prohibited, the obedient person gains much more: whoever forsakes something for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better, and he will enjoy the sweet taste of faith in his heart. This paper discusses a number of the prohibitions that have been proven in Sharee’ah, based on evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah. (Some scholars have grouped the prohibitions under headings such as al-kabaa’ir or major sins. Among the best books on the topic is Tanbeeh al-ghaafileen ‘an a’maal al-jaahileen by Ibn al-Nahhaas al-Dimashqi, may Allaah have mercy on him). These prohibitions include actions which are widely practised among many Muslims. By mentioning them my intention is to correct and advise people. I ask Allaah to guide me and my Muslim brothers, and to help us to adhere to the limits which He has set and to avoid the things that He has prohibited, and to save us from our evil deeds. And Allaah is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. Shirk - associating partners with Allaah This is the most serious of all
prohibitions, according to the hadeeth narrated by Abu Bakrah, who said: “The
Messenger of Allaah (Agreed upon; see al-Bukhaari, no. 2511, al-Bagha edition). Every other sin may be forgiven by Allaah, apart from shirk, which requires specific repentance, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases . . .” [al-Nisaa’ 4:48] One of the forms of shirk which is particularly widespread in Muslim countries is: Grave-worship, the belief that dead awliyaa’ (“saints”) can fulfil one’s needs or help at times of distress, and calling upon them for aid. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him . . .” [al-Israa’ 17:23] Similarly, they call upon dead Prophets, righteous people and others to intercede for them or to rescue them from some calamity, but Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilaah (god) with Allaah? . . .” [al-Naml 27:62] Some of them have adopted the habit of mentioning the name of a shaykh or wali (“saint”) when they stand up, or sit down, or stumble, or encounter problems or distress, so they might say “O Muhammad!” or “O ‘Ali!” or “O Husayn!” or “O Badawi!” or “O Jeelaani!” or “O Shaadhili!” or “O Rifaa’i!” - or they may call upon al-’Aydaroos or Sayyidah Zaynab or Ibn ‘Alwaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily those whom you call upon besides Allaah are slaves like you . . .” [al-A’raf 7:194] Some of those who worship graves walk around them as if in Tawaaf, and acknowledge their corners, or touch them, kiss them, wipe their faces with their dust, prostrate towards them when they see them, or stand before them in fear and humility, praying for whatever they need of healing from some disease, or for a child, or for help with some difficulty. Sometimes they call upon the occupant of the grave, saying “O my master, I have come to you from far away, so do not let me down.” But Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allaah such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them?” [al-Ahqaaf 46:5] The Prophet Some of them shave their heads at the graves, and some have books with titles like Manaasik Hajj al-Mashaahid (“The Rituals of Pilgrimage to Shrines”), mashaahid or shrines referring to graves or tombs of awliyaa’. Some of them believe that the awliyaa’ are running the affairs of the universe and that they have the power to benefit or harm. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And if Allaah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is no one who can repel His Favour . . .” [Yoonus 10:107] It is also shirk to make a vow to any other than Allaah, as is done by those who vow to bring candles or lights for the occupants of the graves. Another manifestation of al-shirk al-akbar is sacrificing to anything other than Allaah.Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord, and sacrifice (to Him only)” [al-Kawthar 108:2] - i.e., sacrifice to Allaah and in
the name of Allaah. The Prophet “Allaah will curse the one who sacrifices to anything other than Allaah.” (Reported by Imaam Muslim, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his Saheeh, no. 1978, ‘Abd al-Baaqi edition). This sin combines two haraam deeds, that of sacrificing to anything other than Allaah and that of sacrificing in the name of anything other than Allaah, both of which make the meat of the animal slaughtered haraam. One of the forms of sacrificing to anything other than Allaah which was known during the first Jaahiliyyah and is still widespread nowadays is the practice of “offering a sacrifice to the jinn,” whereby upon buying or constructing a house, or digging a well, people slaughter an animal at its entrance, out of fear of harm from the resident jinn. (See Tayseer al-’Azeez al-Hameed, al-Iftaa’ edition, p. 158) Another widespread form of al-shirk al-akbar is the sin of allowing what Allaah has forbidden and forbidding what Allaah has allowed, or believing that anyone has the right to do so except Allaah, or referring matters for judgement to jaahili (non-Islamic) courts freely and by choice, and believing that this is permissible. Allaah has mentioned this form of major kufr in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah). . .” [al-Tawbah 9:31] When ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim heard the
Prophet Allaah described the mushrikeen as (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . [those who do not] forbid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth . . .” [al-Tawbah 9:29] And Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘Tell me, what provision Allaah has sent down to you, and you have made of it lawful and unlawful.’ Say: ‘Has Allaah permitted you (to do so), or do you invent a lie against Allaah?’” [Yoonus 10:59] Other widespread forms of shirk are: magic, fortune-telling and divination. Magic (sihr) is an act of kufr, and one of the seven sins which doom a person to Hell. It causes harm but no benefit. Allaah says of the one who learns it (interpretation of the meaning):“. . . And they learn that which harms them and profits them not . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:102] “. . . and the magician will never be successful, no matter what amount (of skill) he may attain).” [Ta-Ha 20:69] The one who deals in magic is a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the shayaateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things as came down at Babylon to the two angels, Haaroot and Maaroot, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) things till they had said, ‘We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).’ . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:102] The prescribed punishment for the one who practices magic is death, and his income is haraam and impure. But people who are ignorant wrongdoers and weak in faith go to magicians to help them harm someone or take revenge on someone. Some people commit the sin of going to a magician to ask his help in undoing the magic of someone else, when they should turn to Allaah to help them and heal them, by reciting His words, such as the soorahs that offer protection (al-Falaq and al-Naas), and so on. Fortune-tellers and their ilk are
kaafirs who disbelieve in Allaah, because they claim knowledge of the Unseen,
but no one has knowledge of the Unseen except Allaah. Many of these
fortune-tellers take advantage of simple-minded people and take their money.
They use many methods such as drawing lines in the sand, throwing sea-shells,
reading palms, teacups (or coffee cups), crystal balls and mirrors, and so on.
If they get it right one time, they get it wrong ninety-nine times, but ignorant
people remember only the one time when these liars get something right. They go
to them to find out about the future, whether they will be successful in
marriage or business, or to help them find something they have lost, and so on.
The ruling concerning the person who visits a fortune-teller is: if he believes
what he says, he is a kaafir who has left Islaam, on the basis of the hadeeth in
which the Prophet Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani
reported: “The Messenger of Allaah Similarly, the one who reads the horoscopes in newspapers and magazines and believes what they say about the influence of the stars and planets is a mushrik, and the one who reads them for entertainment is a sinner, because it is not permitted to entertain oneself by reading things that contain shirk, because Shaytaan will try to lead him to shirk through this. Yet another form of shirk is believing
that certain things can bring benefit when the Creator has not made them so.
For example. some people believe in amulets and spells, or wearing certain types
of pearls or seashells or metal earrings and so on, on the advice of
fortune-tellers or magicians or in accordance with inherited customs. So they
hang them around their own or their children’s necks to ward off the evil eye
- or so they claim; or they tie them onto their bodies or hang them in their
cars and homes, or wear rings with special stones, thinking that these things
can relieve or ward off distress. This without a doubt is contrary to the idea
of relying on Allaah, and will only result in making a person even more weak,
like seeking medicine in a haraam way. These amulets obviously contain much
shirk, such as seeking the help of some jinns and devils, or vague drawings and
illegible writing. Some of these liars even write aayaat from the Qur’aan, or
mix them with words of shirk, or write them with impure substances such as
menstrual blood. Hanging up these amulets or tying them to one’s body is
haraam because the Prophet If the one who does this believes that these things can cause benefit or harm instead of Allaah, he is a mushrik who is guilty of al-shirk al-akbar. If he believes that they are a means of causing benefit or harm, then he is a mushrik who is guilty of al-shirk al-asghar, which includes shirk that consists of attributing causes to things other than Allaah. Showing off in worship: among the conditions for any good deed to be acceptable are that it should be free of any kind of showing off and within the framework of the Sunnah. The person who performs acts of worship, like praying, in order to be seen by other people is a mushrik and his deed is unacceptable. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for prayer, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allaah but little.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:142] Similarly, the person who does a
good deed so that news of it will reach other people has also fallen into the
sin of shirk. The threat of punishment for the one who does this was
reported in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with
him and his father), in which the Prophet It may happen that a person starts to do a deed for the sake of Allaah, then the urge to show off comes over him. If he resists that impulse his deed will still be acceptable, but if he submits willingly to it, then in the opinion of most of the scholars his deed will be unacceptable. Superstitious belief in omens: this is a form of pessimism, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):“But whenever good came to them, they said, ‘Ours is this.’ And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Musa and those with him . . .” [al-A’raaf 7:131] Before Islam, if one of the Arabs
wanted to do something like travelling, he would take hold of a bird and release
it: if it flew to the right, he would take this as a good omen and proceed with
his plans, but if it flew to the left, he would take it as a bad omen and cancel
his plans. The Prophet This kind of haraam belief that
goes against Tawheed also includes the practice of regarding certain times etc.,
as inauspicious, such as not holding a wedding in Safar, or regarding the last
Wednesday of every month as a day of evil omen and ongoing calamity, or
believing that numbers such as 13, or certain names, are “unlucky.” It is
also haraam to believe that handicapped people are bad omens, such as going to
open one’s store but turning back upon seeing a one-eyed man. All of this is
haraam and is part of the shirk for which the Prophet The expiation required from the
person who commits any of these sins is reported in the hadeeth reported by
Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr: “The Messenger of Allaah Pessimism is a part of everyone’s nature, to a greater or lesser extent; the best cure for it is reliance upon Allaah (tawakkul), as Ibn Mas’ood said: “There is no one among us (who will not feel pessimistic sometimes), but when we rely on Allaah, He makes that feeling go away.” (Reported by Abu Dawud, no. 3910; see also al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 430). Swearing by something other than Allaah: Allaah may swear by whatever of His creatures He wills, but His creatures are not permitted to swear by anything other than Allaah. Many people swear all kinds of oaths by things other than Allaah, but swearing by something is like glorifying it, and it is not right to glorify anything or anyone other than Allaah. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has prohibited that
you should swear by your fathers. If anyone swears, let him swear by Allaah, or
else remain silent.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari; see al-Fath,
11/530). Ibn ‘Umar also reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever swears by something
other than Allaah is guilty of shirk.” (Reported
by Imaam Ahmad, 2/125; see Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6204). The
Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever swears by trustworthiness is not one of
us.” (Reported by Abu Dawud
3253; see also al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 94).
It is not permitted to swear by the Ka’bah, by trustworthiness, by honour, by help, by the blessing of so-and-so, by the life of so-and-so, by the virtue of the Prophet, by the virtue of a wali, by one’s father and mother, by the heads of one’s children, etc. All of that is haraam, and the expiation for doing it is to say La ilaaha ill-Allaah, as is stated in the saheeh hadeeth: “Whoever swears and says ‘By al-Laat’ or ‘By al-’Uzza,’ let him say ‘La ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god except Allaah).’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 11/536). There are other phrases that similarly involve shirk and are therefore forbidden, but that are often spoken by Muslims, such as: “I seek refuge with Allaah and with you,” “I am depending on Allaah and on you,” “This is from Allaah and from you,” “I have no-one but Allaah and you,” “I have Allaah in heaven and I have you on earth,” “If it were not for Allaah and so-and-so,” “I disown Islaam,” “Time has let me down” (and every other expression which involves cursing time, like saying, “This is a bad time,” “This is an unlucky time,” “Time is a betrayer,” etc., because cursing time is an insult to Allaah Who has created time), references to “Nature’s way.” Names that imply being a slave of anyone other than Allaah, such as ‘Abd ‘al-Maseeh, ‘Abd al-Nabi, ‘Abd al-Rasool and ‘Abd al-Husayn, are also forbidden. There are also modern expressions which are contrary to Tawheed and are therefore haraam, such as “Islamic socialism,” “Islamic democracy,” “The will of the people is the will of Allaah,” “Religion is for Allaah and the land is for the people,” “In the name of Arabism,” “In the name of the revolution,” etc. It is also haraam to use titles such as “King of kings” or “Judge of judges” for human beings; to address munafiqeen or kuffaar with titles like “Sayyid (master)” (whether speaking Arabic or other languages), to use the words “If only...” - which imply discontent and regret, and open the way for Shaytaan, and to say “O Allaah, forgive me if You want to.” (For more information, see Mu’jam al-Manahi al-Lafziyyah, Bakr or Zayd) Sitting with hypocrites and wrongdoers to enjoy their company or to keep them company: Many of those who do not have strong faith deliberately sit with people who are immoral and sinful. They may even sit with those who attack the Sharee’ah and make fun of Islam and the people who adhere to it strictly. There is no doubt that this is a forbidden deed, one which could undermine a person’s belief. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when you see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaytaan causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not in the company of those people who are the zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.)” [al-An’aam 6:68] In that case it is not permitted to sit with them, even if they are closely-related or are very kind and good company, except for the purposes of da’wah or refuting their false talk. But accepting and remaining quiet about their conduct is not permitted. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They (the hypocrites) swear to you (Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allaah is not pleased with the people who are al-faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah).” [al-Tawbah 9:96] Lack
of composure in prayer:
one of the worst forms of theft or cheating
is cheating in prayer. The Messenger of Allaah Hardly any of the people who pray are free from this problem, because they are not following the command of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . And stand before Allaah with obedience” [al-Baqarah 2:238]; and they fail to understand the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their salaat with all solemnity and full submissiveness.” [al-Mu’minoon 23:1-2] When the Prophet Man is hasty by nature, as it says
in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . and man is ever hasty
. . .” [al-Israa’ 17:11]. The Prophet Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean
clothes) while praying . . .” [al-A’raaf 7:31]. Jaabir said: “The
Messenger of Allaah We might also include here those who come to the mosque straight from work, with unpleasant odours emanating from their armpits and socks. Even worse than these are smokers who have the habit of consuming their haraam cigarettes then coming to the mosque and disturbing the worshippers of Allaah, people and angels alike, with their smell. Zinaa - fornication and adultery: One of the aims of Islamic sharee’ah is to preserve honour and lineage, so zinaa (unlawful sexual intercourse) is forbidden. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily it is a faahishah (a great sin) and an evil way (that leads to Hell unless Allaah forgives)” [al-Israa’ 17:32] Sharee’ah blocks all the ways and means that could lead to zinaa, by enjoining hijaab and lowering the gaze, and by forbidding being alone with a non-mahram woman, etc. The married man who commits adultery deserves the worst kind of punishment, which is stoning to death, so that he may taste the results of his deeds and so that every part of his body may suffer just as every part of his body enjoyed the illicit liaison. The fornicator who was previously unmarried is to be punished with the maximum number of lashes mentioned in sharee’ah, which is 100 lashes, in addition to the scandal of this punishment being witnessed by a group of believers, and the humiliation of being banished from his city and the scene of his crime for one full year. In Barzakh, the punishment for men and women who were guilty of zinaa is that they will be in an oven whose top is narrow and whose bottom is wide, with a fire beneath it, and they will be naked therein. When the heat of the fire increases, they will scream and rise up until they nearly come out of the top, then when the fire decreases, they will fall back down. This will repeated over and over until the onset of the Hour. What is even worse is when a man
continues to commit adultery even when he grows old, death approaches and Allaah
gives him the opportunity to repent. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet Nowadays all the doors of immorality have been opened, and Shaytaan and his supporters have made it very easy for people to commit sin. This has been followed by the spread of tabarruj (wanton display) and unveiling among women, people allowing their gazes to wander to things they should not look at, an increase in mixing between the sexes, the popularity of immoral magazines and lewd films, increased travel to corrupt countries and the establishment of a market for prostitution, an increase in the violation of honour, and an increase in the number of illegitimate births and abortions. O Allaah, we ask you to show us Your mercy and to protect us from immorality; we ask You to purify our hearts and to keep our private parts chaste, and to place a barrier between us and what is haraam. Sodomy (Homosexuality):Sodomy, or intercourse between two males, was the crime of the people of Lut. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) Lut, when he said to his people: ‘You commit al-faahishah (sodomy - the worst sin) which none has preceded you in (committing) among the ‘aalameen (mankind and jinns). Verily, you commit sodomy with men, and rob the wayfarer, and practise al-munkar (disbelief, polytheism and every kind of evil deed) in your meetings.’ . . .” [al-’Ankaboot 29:29]. Because of the repulsive nature and enormity of this sin, Allaah inflicted four kinds of punishment which He had never before inflicted in combination upon any other people; they were: these people would be blinded, their city would be turned upside-down, stones of baked clay, piled up, would be rained down upon them, and an awful cry would be sent upon them. In Islam, those guilty of this
crime are to be killed by the sword, according to the soundest opinion. This
punishment is to carried out on both the one who does this and the one to whom
it is done, if it is done freely and by choice. Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that the
Prophet Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that the Prophet Many women, when they have an argument with their husbands, “punish” them - so they think - by denying them their marital rights. This may result in major corruption if the husband is tempted to do something haraam, or it may backfire on the wife if the husband starts to think seriously of taking another wife. A wife should hasten to respond to
her husband’s call if he wants her, in obedience to the words of the Prophet At the same time, the husband must show consideration towards his wife if she is sick, pregnant or depressed, so as to maintain harmony and prevent discontent or hatred. Asking one’s husband for a divorce for no legitimate reasonMany women hasten to demand a
divorce from their husbands for the least little argument, or if their husbands
do not give them what they want of money. Some women may be egged on by
troublemakers among their relatives or neighbours to challenge their husbands
with provocative words such as: “If you were a real man, you would divorce
me!” The dire results of divorce are well known: breakdown of the family and
children roaming the streets. A person may come to regret divorce when it is too
late. For all these reasons and others, the Sharee’ah wisely prohibited such
actions. Thawbaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Zihaar: One of the expressions of the first Jaahiliyyah that is still widespread in this ummah is the phenomenon of zihaar, whereby a man says to his wife, “You are to me like the back of my mother,” or “You are as forbidden for me as my sister,” and other similarly ugly statements whose repulsive nature was confirmed by the Sharee’ah, because of the oppression of women involved. Allaah referred to this in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Those among you who make their wives unlawful to them by saying to them, ‘You are like my mother’s back,’ they cannot be their mothers. None can be their mothers except those who gave them birth. And verily, they utter an ill word and a lie. And verily, Allaah is Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.” [al-Mujaadilah 58:2] The Sharee’ah has imposed a heavy penalty (kafaarah) for this crime, similar to that required for killing a person by mistake or for having intercourse during the day in Ramadaan; the person who has committed zihaar is not permitted to approach his wife until he has paid this penalty. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who make unlawful to them (their wives) (by zihaar), and wish to free themselves from what they uttered, (the penalty) in that case (is) the freeing of a slave before they touch each other. That is an admonition to you (so that you may not return to such an ill thing). And Allaah is All-Aware of what you do. And he who finds not (the money for freeing a slave) must fast two successive months before they both touch each other. And for him who is unable to do so, he should feed sixty miskeen (poor). That is in order that you may have perfect Faith in Allaah and His Messenger. And for disbelievers, there is a painful torment.” [al-Mujaadilah 58:3-4] Having intercourse with one’s wife during her periodAllaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an adhaa (a harmful thing for a husband to have sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they have purified (from menses and have taken a bath) . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:222] So a man is not permitted to approach his wife until her period has ended and she has taken a bath (ghusl). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allaah has ordained for you . . . “ [al-Baqarah 2:222] The repulsive nature of this sin is
indicated by the words of the Prophet Whoever does this by mistake, not deliberately, does not have to pay any penalty, but the person who does it deliberately and with full knowledge of what he is doing must pay the penalty, which according to the scholars with the soundest knowledge is one dinar or half a dinar. Some scholars say that there is a choice in the amount to be paid; others say that if a man has intercourse with his wife at the beginning of her period, when the flow of blood is heavy, he must pay one dinar, and if he does it at the end of her period when the flow is light, he must pay half a dinar. In modern terms, a dinar is equal to 25.4 grams of gold: this or the equivalent amount of currency must be given in charity. Having intercourse with one's wife in her rectumSome perverted people who have
little faith do not hesitate to have intercourse with a woman in her rectum (the
place from which excrement emerges). This is a major sin, and the Prophet One of the things that Allaah has enjoined in His Book is fair treatment of co-wives. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e., neither divorced nor married). And if you do justice, and do all that is right and fear Allaah by keeping away from all that is wrong, then Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:129] The justice that is required here
is a fair division of nights, and the giving of each wife her rights as regards
spending and clothing. This does not refer to emotions or love, because man has
no control over his feelings. But some people, when they marry more than one
wife, favour one and neglect the other, spending more time with one wife and
spending more on her, and ignoring the other. This is haraam, and the person who
does this will come on the Day of Resurrection in the condition described by the
Prophet Being alone with a non-mahram woman Shaytaan is always keen to tempt people and make them commit haraam deeds. For this reason, Allaah warned us (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan. And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytaan, then, verily he commands al-fahshaa’ (indecency) and al-munkar (evil deeds) . . .” [al-Noor 24:21] Shaytaan runs through the veins of
mankind like blood, and one of the ways in which he induces people to commit
indecent acts is by leading a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman. Islaam
blocks this way by forbidding such conduct, as the Prophet This is one of the cases where incorrect social customs have taken precedence over the laws of Allaah, to such an extent that if you try to talk to people and show them evidence that this is wrong, they will accuse you of being backward, having a complex, trying to break family ties, doubting their good intentions, etc. Shaking hands with female cousins, brothers’ wives and uncles’ wives is now easier than drinking water in our society, but if we look properly we will understand the seriousness of the matter. The Prophet Is there anyone more pure in heart
than Muhammad We should also note that placing a barrier such as a piece of cloth is of no use; it is still haraam to shake hands with a non-mahram woman. A woman wearing perfume when going out or passing by non-mahram menThis practice is widespread
nowadays, despite the stern warning of the Prophet We complain to Allaah about the bukhoor and ‘ood (types of incense) used at weddings and women’s parties before people leave, and the use of strong-smelling perfumes in market-places, means of transportation and mixed gatherings in the mosques even during the nights of Ramadaan. Islaam tells us that women’s perfume should be that which has colour but little smell. We ask Allaah not to despise us and not to punish righteous men and women for the deeds of foolish men and women. May He guide us all to the Straight Path. A woman travelling without a mahram The Messenger of Allaah Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: “The
Messenger of Allaah Deliberately looking at a non-mahram woman Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and to protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allaah is All-Aware of what they do.” [al-Noor 24:30] The Prophet “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and to protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) . . .” [al-Noor 24:31] Men are also forbidden to look with desire at a man with a hairless or beautiful face. Men are forbidden to look at the ‘awrah of other men, and women are forbidden to look at the ‘awrah of other women. If it is forbidden to look at something, it is forbidden to touch it, even over clothing. One of the ways in which Shaytaan deceives people is by making them think that there is nothing wrong with looking at pictures in magazines or watching movies, because what is seen is not “real,” even though such images clearly cause so much damage by provoking desires. Seeing one’s womenfolk behaving in an immoral fashion and keeping silentIbn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased
with him and his father) reported that the Prophet Making false claims about a child’s lineage, or denying one’s own child According to Sharee’ah, it is not
permissible for a Muslim to claim to belong to anyone other than his father, or
to claim to belong to a people of whom he is not a member. Some people may do
this for material gains, and may obtain documentation to “confirm” their
false identity officially. Some people may do this out of hatred towards a
father who abandoned them when they were children. All of this is haraam, and
may lead to much chaos and corruption in a number of fields, such as knowing who
is one’s mahram, marriage, inheritance and so on. Sa’d and Abu Bakrah (may
Allaah be pleased with them) both reported that the Prophet Consuming riba (usury or interest) In the Qur’aan, Allaah does not declare war on anyone except the people who deal in riba (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Be afraid of Allaah and give up what remains (due to you) of riba (from now onward), if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it, then take a message of war from Allaah and His Messenger.” [al-Baqarah 2:278-279] This is sufficient to explain the abhorrence of this deed in the sight of Allaah, may He be glorified. One may easily discern the extent of devastation, at the individual and the international level, caused by dealing with riba - such as bankruptcy, recession, economic stagnation, inability to repay loans, high unemployment, collapse of many companies and institutions, etc. Daily toil has become a never-ending struggle to pay off interest on loans and societies have become class-ridden structures in which huge wealth in concentrated in the hands of a few. Perhaps all this is a manifestation of the war threatened by Allaah to those who deal in riba. Everyone who has something to do
with riba, whether he is one of the main parties involved or is a
middleman or facilitator, has been cursed by Muhammad The Prophet In spite of the enormity of this sin, Allaah has told us to repent from it and has explained how. Allaah says to those who deal in riba (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums).” [al-Baqarah 2:279] This is quintessential justice. The believer must despise this major sin and feel its abhorrence, even if he puts his money in interest-based banks because he has no other choice and is afraid that his money may be lost or stolen otherwise. He should feel that he is being compelled by necessity to do this, like one who eats dead meat, or worse. At the same time, he should seek the forgiveness of Allaah and try to find an alternative if he can. He is not permitted to ask the bank for interest, and if the bank deposits it in his account, he must get rid of it in whatever way is permissible. This money cannot be counted as sadaqah (charity), because Allaah is pure and accepts only that which is pure. He cannot benefit from this money by using it to by food, drink, clothing, transportation or housing; he cannot use it to fulfil obligations such as spending on his wife, child or parents, or to pay zakaat or taxes, or to defend himself in court. Rather, he should just get rid of it, for fear of the wrath of Allaah. Concealing a product’s faults at the time of sale The Prophet There are many traders nowadays who
do not fear Allaah, and try to conceal faults by wrapping it in plastic [?],
putting faulty produce in the bottom of the box, using chemicals and the like to
make a product look good, or concealing noises in engines that may indicate a
fault - so that when the purchaser brings a product home, it soon starts to wear
out. Some traders change expiry dates, or prevent the buyer from examining or
trying out a product. Many of those who sell cars or other types of equipment do
not point out the product’s faults. All of this is haraam, as the Prophet This refers to the practice of
artificially inflating the price with no intention of buying, in order to
deceive others, thus pushing them to add more to the price they are offering.
The Prophet Trading after the second call to prayer on Friday Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the salaat (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumu’ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allaah and leave off business (and every other thing), that is better for you if you did but know!” [al-Jumu’ah 62:9]. Some people continue trading in
their stores and in front of the mosque even after the second call to prayer;
those who buy from them also share in their guilt, even if they only buy a siwaak
(natural toothbrush). According to the soundest opinion, this sale is invalid.
Some owners of restaurants, bakeries and factories force their employees to work
at the time of Jumu’ah prayers; even if this leads to an apparent increase in
earnings, they will ultimately be losers in reality. The employee is obliged to
act in accordance with the teaching of the Prophet Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, al-ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols, etc.), and al-azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that abomination, in order that you may be successful.” [al-Maa’idah 5:90] Gambling was very common during the Jaahiliyyah; in one of the most well-known forms of gambling, ten people would buy a camel, each paying an equal share, then they would throw down arrows - a form of drawing lots. Seven people would win unequal shares and three would be left empty-handed. Nowadays there are many forms of gambling, including: lotteries and raffles, in which people pay money to buy numbers, then numbers are drawn for first prize, second prize, and so on for a variety of prizes. This is haraam, even when it is supposedly done for charity. Buying a product which includes something unknown, or paying for a number for a draw which will decide who gets what. Another modern form of gambling is insurance, such as life insurance, car insurance, product insurance, insurance against fire or theft, third party insurance, comprehensive insurance, and so on. There are so many types of insurance that some singers even insure their voices! All of the above are forms of gambling. Nowadays there are even clubs that are devoted exclusively to gambling, in which there are so-called “green tables” (roulette tables) just for people to commit this sin. Other forms of gambling include betting on horse races and other sports, fruit-machines and the like in amusement centres, and competitions in which the victors win prizes, as a group of scholars have stated. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female, as a recompense for that which they have committed, a punishment by way of example from Allaah. And Allaah is All-Powerful, All-Wise.” [al-Maa’idah 5:38] One of the worst forms of this sin
is theft from the pilgrims who come on Hajj and ‘Umrah to the Ancient House of
Allaah. This kind of thief has no respect for the limits set by Allaah in the
best region on earth and around the House of Allaah. In the report about Salaat
al-Kusoof (the eclipse prayer), it is reported that the Prophet Another of the worst forms of theft is stealing from the public purse. Some of those who do this say “We are only doing what others do.” They do not realize that what they are doing is effectively stealing from all the Muslims, because the public purse belongs to all the Muslims. Imitating those who do not fear Allaah is no excuse. Some people steal from the wealth of the kuffaar on the grounds that they are kuffaar, but this is wrong; the only kuffaar whose wealth we are allowed to take away are those who are actively fighting the Muslims, which does not apply to every kaafir individual or company. Another form of theft is
pick-pocketing, stealing something from a person’s pocket without him
realizing. Some thieves enter people’s houses as visitors, and steal from
them. Some steal from their guests’ bags. Some - including women - go into
stores and hide things in their pockets or under their clothing. Some think that
the theft of small or cheap items is of little consequence, but the Prophet Everyone who steals something must first repent to Allaah then return the item to its rightful owner, whether openly or secretly, in person or via a third party. If he fails to find the rightful owner or his heirs after much effort, then he should give the property in charity, with the intention that the reward should be given to the rightful owner. Giving a bribe to a qaadi or judge to make him turn a blind eye to the truth or to make a false claim succeed is a sin, because it leads to oppression and injustice for the person who is in the right, and it spreads corruption. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And eat up not one another’s property unjustly, not give bribery to the rulers that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully.” [al-Baqarah 2:188] Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that the Prophet Bribery is so widespread nowadays
that it more of a source of income than the regular salary for some workers.
Some companies even include bribes as a factor in their budgets, under a variety
of headings, and some dealings cannot begin or end without the payment of a
bribe. Much harm is caused to the poor and many safeguards are broken because of
bribes. Bribery is a cause of corruption whereby employees act against their
employers, and one can only get good service if one pays a bribe - the person
who refuses to pay will get shoddy or late service, and people who come after
him but are willing to pay will be served before him. Because of bribery, a
great deal of money which is due to employers ends up in the pockets of sales
representatives and those responsible for making company purchases. It is little
wonder, then that the Prophet When there is no fear of Allaah,
strength and cunning are a disaster because the one who possesses these
qualities uses them to oppress others, such as seizing other people’s
possessions, including their land. The punishment for this is extremely severe.
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet Ya’laa ibn Murrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) reported that the Prophet This also includes changing
landmarks and boundaries in order to make one’s own land bigger at the expense
of a neighbour, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet Accepting a gift in return for interceding To have a position of high standing
among people is one of the blessings of Allaah to His slave, if he is grateful.
One way in which a person may give thanks for this blessing is by using his
position to benefit other Muslims. This is part of the general meaning of the
hadeeth: “Whoever among you is able to benefit his brother, then let him do
so.” (Reported by Muslim, 4/1726). The person
who uses his position to benefit others by averting injustice or bringing some
good, without doing anything that is haraam or infringes on the rights of
others, will be rewarded by Allaah, so long as his intention is sincere, as the
Prophet It is not permitted to accept anything in return for this intercession or mediation. Evidence for this may be seen in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Umaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him): "Whoever intercedes for someone then accepts a gift (in return for it), has committed a serious type of riba." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/261; see Saheeh al-Jaami', 6292). Some people offer the opportunity to benefit from their position, in return for a sum of money, in order to help someone get a job, or a transfer from one office or area to another, or treatment for the sick, etc. The soundest opinion is that this exchange is haraam, because of the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah quoted above, whose apparent meaning is that accepting such gifts is wrong, even if no agreement was previously made. (From the spoken statements of 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz). The reward which the doer of good will receive from Allaah on the Day of Judgement should be sufficient. A man came to al-Hasan ibn Sahl asking him to intercede for him in some matter, which he did; then the man came to thank him. Al-Hasan ibn Sahl said to him, "Why are you thanking us? We believe that zakaat is due on positions of rank just as it is due on wealth." (Ibn Muflih, al-Aadaab al-Shar'iyyah, 2/176). It is worth pointing out here that there is a difference between hiring someone to do legal paperwork for you and paying him wages in return, which has to do with the legitimate hiring of labour, and using a person's position to intercede for you in return for money, which is haraam. Hiring someone and benefitting from his labour, then not paying him his wages The Prophet One form of oppression or injustice that is common in Muslim societies is the failure to give employees and workers their rights. This takes many forms, for example: Denying an employee’s rights in totality, where the employee has no proof of his rights. He may have lost his dues in this world, but he will not lose them before Allaah on the Day of Resurrection. So the oppressor who consumed the money due to the victim will be brought forth, and his victim will be given some of his hasanaat in compensation (i.e. some of the oppressor’s good deeds will be added to his victim’s credit). If the hasanaat are not enough, some of the victim’s sayi’aat (bad deeds) will be added to the oppressor, then he will be thrown into Hell. Not giving the employee his full rights. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Woe to al-Mutaffifeen [those who give less in measure and weight (decrease the rights of others)].” [al-Mutaffifeen 83:1] One example of this is the action of some bosses who bring workers from their homelands with a contract to pay a certain wage. Once the people are committed and have started to work for him, he goes and changes the contracts, altering them to state a lower wage than the one actually agreed upon. The employees stay because they have no choice and have no proof of their rights; all they can do is complain to Allaah. If the employer is a Muslim and the employee is not, this lowering of wages is a way of turning people away from the Straight Path, and he will carry his sin. Making the employee do extra work or put in longer hours, without paying him overtime or giving him any more than the basic salary. Some bosses delay payment of wages
and pay up only after much struggle, complaining, chasing and court cases. Their
aim may be to make the employee give up his claim to his rightful wages and stop
asking; or they may want to invest this money, perhaps by lending it for
interest. Meanwhile, the poor employee cannot buy his daily bread or send
anything home to his needy wife and children for whose sake he left to work
overseas. Woe to those oppressors on that painful Day! Abu Hurayrah reported
that the Prophet Not giving gifts equally to one’s children Some people show favouritism in the
way they give gifts to some of their children but not others. According to the
soundest opinion, doing this is haraam unless there is some legitimate reason,
such as one child being in greater need than the others due to sickness, being
in debt, being rewarded for having memorized the entire Qur’aan, being unable
to find a job, having a large family, being a full-time student, etc. When a
father gives something to one of his children who is in need, he should have the
intention to give similarly to any other children of his should the need arise.
General proof of this principle may be seen in the aayah (interpretation
of the meaning): “. . . Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allaah . .
.” [al-Maa’idah 5:8]. Specific evidence is found in the report of al-Nu’maan
ibn Basheer (may Allaah be pleased with him), whose father brought him to the
Messenger of Allaah Asking people for money when one is not in need Sahl ibn al-Hanzaliyyah (may Allaah
be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah The dues owed by one person to another are very important in the sight of Allaah, so much so that if a person falls short in his duties towards Allaah, he may be forgiven if he repents, but when it comes to the rights of other people, he has to fulfil them before the Day comes when dinars and dirhams will be of no avail, and only hasanaat and sayi’aat (good and bad deeds) will count. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, Allaah commands that you should render back the trusts to those to whom they are due . . .” [al-Nisaa’ 4:58] One of the widespread problems in our society is this casual approach to loans; some people take out loans not for some urgent need but because they want to expand their businesses or keep up with others by buying new cars or furniture or other temporary luxuries of this life. Often these people let themselves in for the confusion of installment plans, which are dubious or maybe even haraam. A casual approach to loans leads
people to delay repayments, which in turn leads to loss and financial ruin of
others. Warning of the consequences of this deed, the Prophet The person who does not fear Allaah
does not care where he earns his money or how he spends it; his only concern is
to increase his bank balance, even if it is haraam and ill-gotten by means of
theft, bribery, extortion, forgery, selling haraam things, riba (usury),
consuming an orphan’s wealth, earnings from haraam work like fortune-telling,
immorality or singing, stealing from the Muslim treasury or public property,
taking people’s money by coercion or high-pressure sales tactics, begging when
one is not in need, etc. Then he buys food, clothing and transportation with
this ill-gotten money, and builds or rents a house, and furnishes it, and fills
his stomach with haraam food. The Prophet Drinking khamr - even a single drop Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, al-ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols, etc.) and al-azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly) all that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.” [al-Maa’idah 5:90] The command to avoid these things is the strongest indication that they are forbidden. Khamr (“wine”, alcohol) is compared to al-ansaab, which were idols of the kuffaar; there is no excuse for those who argue that the Qur’aan does not say it is forbidden but only tells us to avoid it! The Prophet Nowadays there are very many kinds
of khamr, with many names in Arabic and other languages, such as beer, ji’ah
(beer), alcohol, araq (“arrack”), vodka, champagne, etc. There has
appeared in this ummah the type of person described by the Prophet Islam imposes strict controls on
this matter, and deals with it decisively so that there is no room for
misunderstanding. The Prophet Finally, the Prophet Using vessels of gold and silver, or eating and drinking from them Nowadays hardly any household goods
stores are free of vessels made of gold and silver, or plated with these metals.
The same applies to homes of rich people and many hotels. This kind of thing has
become one of the precious gifts that people give one another on special
occasions. Some people may not have these things at home, but they use them in
other people’s homes and when invited to a meal. All of these are actions
which are forbidden in Islaam. The Prophet Some people might say, “We are not using them, we are just putting them on display in a glass case.” This is not permitted either, to prevent any possibility of these things being used. (From the spoken statements of Shaykh ‘Abd al’-’Azeez ibn Baaz.) Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . So shun the abomination (worship) of idols, and shun lying speech (false statements) - hunafaa’ Lillah (i.e., to worship none but Allaah), not associating partners (in worship, etc.) unto Him . . .” [al-Hajj 22:30-31] ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Bakrah
(may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that his father said:
“We were with the Messenger of Allaah The warning against bearing false witness was uttered repeatedly because people take it too lightly and there are many motives for doing so, such as hatred and envy. The resulting corruption is great indeed: how many people have lost their rights because of false witness! How many innocent people have been treated unjustly, and how many people have gained what they did not deserve, because of it! An example of the ways in which people take this matter lightly is what sometimes happens in the courts, when a person might say to someone he has only just met, "Testify for me and I will testify for you." So one might testify for the other in a case where he does not have the necessary knowledge of what really happened, like testifying that this person owns a piece of land or a house, or recommending him when he has never seen him before that day in court. This is lying and false witness, whereas testimony should be as described in the Book of Allaah: ". . . we testify not except according to what we know . . ." [Yoosuf 12:81] Listening to music and musical instruments Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be
pleased with him) used to swear by Allaah that the aayah “And of mankind is he
who purchases idle talk to mislead (men) from the Path of Allaah . . .” [Luqmaan
31:6] referred to singing. Abu ‘Aamir and Abu Maalik al-Ash’ari (may Allaah
be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet The Prophet What is very difficult is the fact that nowadays music is a part of so many things, such as clocks, doorbells, children’s toys, computers, telephones, etc., and avoiding it takes a great deal of determination. Allaah is the source of help. Many gatherings produce nothing but gossip about other Muslims and slander of their honour. This is something which Allaah has forbidden His slaves, and has drawn the most repulsive analogy to put them off. He says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it . . .” [al-Hujuraat 49:12] The Prophet Gossip or backbiting means saying something about a Muslim which may be true but which he does not like to hear spoken, whether it be about his physical appearance, his adherence to religion, his worldly affairs, his self, his behaviour or his character. There are many forms of gossip, including talking about a person's faults and imitating him to make fun of him. People take the matter of gheebah
very lightly, although it is very serious in the sight of Allaah, as is
indicated by the words of the Prophet Whoever is present in a gathering
where gossip takes place should "forbid what is evil" and defend his
absent brother. The Prophet Some people go about repeating the words of others to cause trouble between people; this is one of the greatest causes of broken relations and stirring up feelings of hatred among people. Allaah condemned the one who does this (interpretation of the meaning): "And obey not everyone who swears much, - and is considered worthless, a slanderer, going about with calumnies." [al-Qalam 68:10-11] Hudhayfah reported that the Prophet
Ibn 'Abbaas said: "The Prophet
One of the worst forms of this sin is to cause trouble between a husband and wife, or vice versa, or to tell one's boss what other employees are saying, in order to create trouble. All of this is haraam. Looking into people's houses without their permission Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them . . ." [al-Noor 24:27] The Prophet Two people conversing privately to the exclusion of a third This is one of the problems that
exist in social gatherings, and it is one of the ways in which Shaytaan divides
the Muslims and makes some of them hate others. The Prophet Isbaal - wearing clothes that come down below the ankles One of the things which people treat as insignificant, although it is serious in the sight of Allaah, is isbaal, which means lengthening one's clothes below the ankles; some people let their clothes touch the ground, and some allow them to drag on the floor behind them. Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that the Prophet The one who says, "I am not
wearing my clothes below my ankles out of arrogance" is in fact praising
himself in a way that is unacceptable. The warning against isbaal is
issued to all, regardless of whether they do it out of arrogance or not, as the
Prophet Men wearing gold in any shape or form Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari (may Allaah be
pleased with him) reported that the Prophet The market nowadays is filled with any number of items designed for men, such as watches, spectacles, buttons, pens, chains and so-called "medallions," made of gold of various standards, or completely gold-plated. One of the common sins occurs in competitions where among the prizes are men's gold watches. Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah Women wearing short, tight or see-though clothes One of the ways in which our
enemies are attacking us in modern times is by means of the fashions which they
design and promote, and which have become popular among Muslims. These fashions
do not cover anything, because they are so short, transparent or tight; many of
them are inappropriate for wearing even in front of other women or one's mahrams!
The Prophet Wearing wigs and hairpieces, whether made from natural or artificial hair, for men and women Asmaa' bint Abi Bakr said: "A
woman came to the Prophet Examples of this include the things known nowadays as wigs and hair extensions, and the many evil things with which salons are crowded. Also included are the artificial wigs worn by some actors and actresses who have no morals. Men resembling women and women resembling men, in dress, speech and appearance Part of the fitrah (natural
inclinations of mankind) is that men should preserve the masculinity which
Allaah has created in them, and women should preserve the femininity which
Allaah has created in them. Without this, decent human life becomes impossible.
Men resembling women and vice versa is something which goes against man's innate
nature (fitrah) and opens the door to corruption and widespread
promiscuity. The ruling in sharee'ah is that when it is stated that the person
who does a thing is cursed, that thing is haraam. Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allaah Similarly, the two sexes are not permitted to resemble one another in dress or by wearing anything that is specifically for the other sex. So a man is not permitted to wear necklaces, bracelets, anklets or earrings, etc., as is widespread among hippies and the like. Women are not permitted to wear things that are specifically for men, like the thawb (long garment worn by men in Arab countries), shirts, etc.; whatever she wears should be different in style, details and colour. The evidence that the two sexes should not resemble one another in dress is found in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him): "Allaah has cursed the man who wears women's clothes and the woman who wear men's clothes." (Reported by Abu Dawud, 4/355; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 5071). The correct opinion is that it is
haraam to do this, because of the warning mentioned in the hadeeth: "At the
end of time there will be people who dye their hair black like the crops of
pigeons; they will never smell the fragrance of Paradise." (Reported
by Abu Dawud, 4/419; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 8153). This
practice is widespread among those who have grey hairs, which they cover with
black dye; this leads to many evils, such as deceit, and cheating people by
boasting of something which is not true. It is true that the Prophet Having pictures of animate beings on clothing, walls or paper, etc. 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah
be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet The Muslim should accept what the Sharee'ah says, without arguing. Some may say "Well, I am not worshipping these pictures or prostrating to them!" But if you look closely and think about just one of the bad effects of the widespread presence of pictures in our times, you will understand the wisdom behind this prohibition: this bad effect is the provocation of sexual desire which leads to immorality, because of these pictures. The Muslim should not keep any
pictures of animate beings in his house, because this prevents the angels from
entering his home. The Prophet Some people deliberately fabricate
dreams and visions that they have not really seen, as a means of gaining
spiritual prestige and fame, or for some material gains, or to scare their
enemies, and the like. Many of the common people have a strong beliefs in dreams
and are easily deceived by such lies. The Prophet Sitting or walking on graves, or answering the call of nature in a graveyard Abu Hurayrah reported that the
Prophet Not cleaning oneself properly after passing water One of the beauties of Islam is
that it teaches everything that will improve and reform mankind, including how
to remove impurities by cleaning oneself properly after urinating or defecating.
But some people are very careless about this matter, and allow their clothes and
bodies to become contaminated, thus causing their prayers to be invalidated. The
Prophet Eavesdropping on people who do not want to be heard Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ". . . And spy not (on one another) . . ." [al-Hujuraat 49:12]. Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that the Prophet If this person then goes and tells
others of the conversation he overheard in order to cause trouble for them, then
his sin of spying is compounded by another sin, as the Prophet Allaah has enjoined kind treatment of neighbours in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning): "Worship Allaah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those slaves whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allaah does not like such as are proud and boastful." [al-Nisaa' 4:36] Harming a neighbour is haraam
because of the greatness of his rights. Abu Shurayh (may Allaah be pleased with
him) reported that the Prophet The Prophet Harming a neighbour may take many
forms, including: not allowing him to fix a piece of wood to a shared wall or
fence; expanding one's dwelling in such a way as to deprive him of sun or air
without his permission; opening windows overlooking his house and looking out of
them to invade his privacy; disturbing him with loud sounds such as hammering or
shouting, especially when he is asleep or resting; or throwing trash in front of
his door. The sin of such deeds is increased when they are done to a neighbour,
as the Prophet Writing a will for the purpose of harming one of the heirs One of the basic principles of
Sharee'ah is that there should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm. One
example of this harm is writing a will that deprives one or some of the
legitimate heirs of his or their rights. Such a person is warned by the Prophet In places where people are not subject to the rule of Sharee'ah, it may be difficult for a person to take what is his by rights granted by Allaah, because courts that apply man-made laws may order that the unfair will registered with a lawyer be executed. "Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby." [al-Baqarah 2:79] Many popular games involve elements
that are haraam; among them are games in which pieces are moved according to the
throw of a dice, such as backgammon, etc. The Prophet Cursing a believer or someone who does not deserve to be cursed Many people do not control their
tongues at times of anger, and are quick to curse people, animals, inanimate
objects, days, hours, etc. They may even curse themselves and their children, or
a husband may curse his wife and vice versa. This is a very serious matter. Abu
Zayd Thaabit ibn al-Dahhaak al-Ansari (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported
that the Prophet Wailing (at time of bereavement) One of the haraam deeds that some
women do is to raise their voices in screaming and eulogizing the dead, striking
their faces, tearing their clothes, cutting or tearing out their hair, etc. All
of this indicates that a person does not accept the decree of Allaah and is not
bearing disaster with fortitude and patience. The Prophet Jaabir said: "The Messenger of
Allaah As far as striking the face is concerned, many fathers and teachers do this as a way of punishing children, when they strike them in the face with their hand, and so on; some people also do this to their servants, even though this is an insult to the face with which Allaah has honoured man. It may also cause the loss of some of the important senses which are located in the face, leading to regret and possible demands for retribution. Branding animals in the face is done to make a distinguishing mark so that each animal's owner may be known and the animal may be returned to him if it is lost. This is haraam, because it causes suffering and deformity. If people claim that this is their tribal custom and that a distinguishing mark is necessary, it should be made on some other part of the animal, not on the face. Abandoning a Muslim brother for more than three days with no legitimate reason This is one of the ways in which
Shaytaan causes division among Muslims, and those who follow in the footsteps of
Shaytaan may forsake a Muslim brother for no legitimate reason, but because of a
dispute over money or some trivial disagreement. This division may continue for
a lifetime, with one swearing that he will never speak to the other and vowing
never to set foot in his house, turning away if he sees him in the street and
ignoring him if he happens to encounter him in a gathering, shaking hands with
everyone else but him. This is a cause of weakness in the Muslim community,
hence the ruling concerning this is decisive and the warning against it is
stern. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Abu Khuraash al-Aslami (may Allaah
be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet It is bad enough that division
among Muslims results in their being deprived of the forgiveness of Allaah, may
He be glorified. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet Whichever of the two parties
repents to Allaah must then go back to his brother and greet him with salaam;
if he does this and the other person ignores him, then the former is free of
blame and the responsibility falls upon the latter. Abu Ayyoob reported that the
Prophet There may be cases where there is a legitimate reason for forsaking a person, such as his not praying, or persisting in immorality. If forsaking him will benefit him by bringing him to his senses and making him see the error of his ways, then it is obligatory to forsake him, but if it will only make him more stubborn and persistent in his sin, then it is not right to forsake him, because nothing is achieved by doing so. Forsaking him will only make matters worse, so the right thing to do is to continue treating him kindly, and advising and reminding him. In conclusion, this is what Allaah has enabled me to write about the prohibitions that are widely ignored. This is a lengthy topic, and in order that readers may further benefit, another chapter is needed, in which a group of prohibitions mentioned in the Qur'aan and Sunnah will be listed. This will appear as a separate work, in sha Allaah. I ask Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, by His Most Beautiful Names, to give us enough awareness and fear of Him to keep us away from sin, and enough devotion and obedience to Him to help us reach His Paradise, to forgive us for our sins and by His grace to make us content with what He has permitted and keep us away from what He has forbidden. May He accept our repentance and cleanse us from sin, for He is the All-Hearing, the One Who answers prayers. May the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the Unlettered Prophet, Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions. All praise be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds. Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid |
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