The Unlawful and Prohibited Things
First: Polytheism: Devoting any form of servitude to other than Allah Almighty:
Examples include prostrating to other than Allah, invoking other than Allah and asking him for the fulfillment of needs, offering sacrifices to other than Allah, or devoting any form of servitude to other than Allah. The invoked one may be alive or dead, and it may be a grave, an idol, a stone, a tree, a king, a prophet, a pious person, an animal, or the like. All of this falls under polytheism which Allah does not forgive unless the perpetrator repents and reverts to Islam.
Allah Almighty says: {Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him but forgives anything less than that for whom He wills. Whoever associates partners with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 48] A Muslim worship none but Allah, invokes none but Allah, and humbly submits to none but Him. Allah Almighty says: {Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. This is what I have been commanded, and I am the first to submit to Allah.”} [Surat al-An‘ām: 162-163]
One of the forms of polytheism is to believe that Allah has a wife or a son – far exalted be He above that – or to believe that there are other gods
disposing of the affairs of this universe. {If there had been gods besides Allah in the heavens and earth, both realms would have fallen in disorder. Glory be to Allah – Lord of the Throne – far above what they ascribe [to Him].} [Surat al-Anbiyā’: 22]
Second: Magic, divination, and claiming to know the unseen:
Magic and divination are disbelief. Indeed, a magician cannot be a magician except through his connection with the devils and worshiping them apart from Allah. Hence, it is not permissible for a Muslim to go to magicians or soothsayers or believe their claims about knowing the unseen or any event they allege will happen in the future.
Allah Almighty says: {Say, “No one in the heavens and earth has knowledge of the unseen except Allah.”}[Surat an-Naml: 65]
He also says:{[He is] Knower of the unseen, He does not reveal His unseen to anyone, except the messenger whom He chooses, then He appoints angel-guards before him and behind him.}[Surat al-Jinn: 26-27]
Third: Injustice:
Injustice is a broad term that comprises many evil acts and bad traits that impact people. Falling under this is injustice to oneself, injustice to others, injustice to society, and injustice even to enemies. Allah Almighty says:{And do not let the hatred of a people lead you away from justice. Be just; that is closer to righteousness.}[Surat al-Mā’idah: 8]Allah Almighty informs us that He does not love the unjust. In a Qudsi (divine) Hadīth, Allah Almighty said:“O My servants, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and made it forbidden amongst you; so, do not wrong one another.” [24]In another Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Support your brother whether he is oppressor or oppressed.” A man said: “O Messenger of Allah, I should support him if he is oppressed, but how should I support him if he is oppressor?” The Prophet (may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon him) said: “Support him by preventing him from oppression.” [25] 15
Fourth: Killing the soul made inviolable by Allah without right:
This is a serious crime in the religion of Islam for which Allah Almighty threatens with painful punishment and has prescribed the toughest penalties in this world, namely killing the killer unless the murdered person’s heirs pardon the murderer. Allah Almighty says:{For this reason We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a person – unless in retribution for murder or corruption in the land – it is as if he killed all mankind.}[Surat al-Mā’idah: 32]He also says:{But anyone who kills a believer deliberately, his punishment will be Hell, abiding therein forever; Allah will be displeased with him, and will curse him, and will prepare for him a great punishment.}[Surat an-Nisā’: 93]
Fifth: Encroaching upon people’s properties:
be it by theft, usurpation, bribery, fraud, or the like. Allah Almighty says:{As for the thief, male or female, amputate their hands as a deterrent punishment from Allah for what they have done. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.}[Surat al- Mā’idah: 38]He also says:{Do not consume one another’s property unjustly.}[Surat al-Baqarah: 188]He also says:{Indeed, those who consume the orphans’ property unjustly, they only consume fire into their bellies, and they will burn in a Blazing Fire.}[Surat an-Nisā’: 10]
Islam strongly opposes encroachment upon people’s properties and gives stern warnings about this. It prescribes harsh penalties against the perpetrators of this and similar crimes that disturb the order and security of society.
15 Narrated by Muslim in the Book of righteousness, maintaining ties, and ethics, Chapter: prohibition of oppression (16/132)
Sixth: Cheating, treachery, and betrayal:
in all dealings, such as buying, selling, covenants, and the like. These are reprehensible traits that Islam forbids and warns people against.
Allah Almighty says:{Woe to the defrauders, those who take full measure when they take from others, but they give less when they measure or weigh for them. Do they really not think that they will be resurrected for a momentous Day, a Day when people will stand before the Lord of the worlds?}[Surat al-Mutaffifīn: 1-5]The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: «Whoever cheats us is not one of us.” [26]Allah Almighty says:{Allah does not like the treacherous and sinful.}[Surat an-Nisā’: 107]
Seventh: Attacking people’s honor
by cursing, reviling, backbiting, slandering, envying, distrusting, spying, mocking, and the like. Islam is keen to establish a clean and pure society that abounds in love, brotherliness, harmony, and cooperation. To this end, it firmly combats all social ills that lead to the disintegration of society and the appearance of rancor, hatred, and selfishness among its members.
Allah Almighty says:{O you who believe, let not some men ridicule others, for it may be that they are better than them; nor let some women ridicule others, for it may be that they are better than them. Do not speak ill of one another, nor call one another by [offensive] nicknames. How evil is the name of wickedness after having faith! And whoever does not repent, it is they who are the wrongdoers you who believe, avoid much of the suspicion, for some suspicions are sin. Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely abhor it. So, fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Accepting of Repentance, Most Merciful.}[Surat al-Hujurāt: 11-12]Islam also strongly combats racial and class-based discrimination between members of society. In its eyes, all are equal. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab or for a white over a black except in terms of religiousness and piety. Everyone equally vies in doing good deeds. Allah
Almighty says:{O mankind, we have created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most noble of you before Allah is the most righteous among you. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}[Surat al-Hujurāt: 13]
Eighth: Gambling, drinking alcohol, and drug abuse:
Allah Almighty says:{O you who believe, intoxicants, gambling, idols and divining arrows are evil, of Satan’s work; therefore, avoid such [evil], so that you may be successful. Satan only wants to create enmity and hatred between you through intoxicants and gambling, and to prevent you from remembering Allah and from prayer. Will you not then abstain?}[Surat al-Mā’idah: 90-91]
Ninth: Consuming the flesh of dead animals, blood, and pork:
and all filthy and harmful things to people. This also applies to sacrifices offered to other than Allah Almighty Who says:{O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if you truly worship Him alone. He has only forbidden to you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and what has been sacrificed to other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need – then there is no sin upon him; for Allah is All- Forgiving, Most Merciful.}[Surat al-Baqarah: 172-173]
Tenth: Adultery and sodomy:
Adultery is a malicious deed that ruins morals and societies and leads to mingling of lineages, loss of families, and absence of proper upbringing. Illegitimate children feel the bitterness of this crime and the hatred of society. Allah Almighty says:{Do not go near adultery, for it is indeed a shameful act and an evil way.}[Surat al-Isrā’: 32]Adultery causes spread of sexual diseases that destroy the fabric of society. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:” Immorality does not prevail among any people to the extent that they commit it openly except that plague and
diseases that did not exist among their predecessors will spread among them.” [27] 16
Islam, therefore, instructs us to block all means leading to adultery. For example, it commands Muslims to lower their gaze, for an unlawful look constitutes the first step towards adultery, and Islam also commands women to wear Hijab and modest clothing and stick to chastity, thus preserving society from this vice. On the other hand, Islam urges and encourages people to get married and promises reward even for this sexual pleasure that the husband and wife engage in, as this helps establish chaste and dignified families that are well qualified for the successful upbringing of today’s child and tomorrow’s man.
Eleventh: Consuming usury:
Usury damages the economy, and it involves exploitation of people’s need for money, whether for doing business or fulfilling basic living needs. In usury, money is lent to someone for a fixed period of time in return for an increase to be paid along with the repayment of the debt. A usurer exploits the poor person’s need for money and burdens him with accumulative debts added to the original amount.
A usurer takes advantage of the needs of traders, manufacturers, farmers, and others who affect the economy.
He exploits their need for cash and imposes upon them an extra amount of the profits, whereas he only lends them without sharing the risk of stagnation or loss.
If such a trader incurs a loss, debts accumulate on him, and the usurer crushes him. If they were partners, however, sharing profit and loss, one with his effort and the other with his money, as instructed by Islam, the wheel of the economy would keep moving for the benefit of society.
16 Narrated by Ibn Mājah in the Book of trials, Chapter: penalties (2/1333), and Al-Albāni judged it as Hasan (sound) (Sahīh Ibn Mājah) (2/370)
Allah Almighty says:{O you who believe, fear Allah and give up usury that is still due, if you are truly believers. But if you do not do it, then beware of a declaration of war from Allah and His Messenger. However, if you repent, you may retain your capital – neither harming nor suffering harm. If the debtor is in hardship, give him respite until it is easy for him to pay back. But if you waive it as charity, that is better for you, if only you knew.}[Surat al-Baqarah: 278-280]
Twelfth: Avarice and stinginess:
It denotes selfishness and self-love. A miser hoards wealth and refuses to pay his Zakah to the poor and the needy, denying his society and rejecting the principle of cooperation and brotherliness which Allah and His Messenger commanded. Allah Almighty says:{Those who greedily withhold what Allah has given them of His grace, should not think that it is good for them, rather it is bad for them; their necks will be chained by what they greedily withheld on the Day of Resurrection. To Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and earth, and Allah is All-Aware of what you do.}[Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 180]
Thirteenth: Lying and false testimony:
We have previously cited the Prophet’s Hadīth: “Indeed, lying leads to immorality, and immorality leads to Hellfire, and a man would continue to lie and be keen on lying until he is recorded in the sight of Allah as a liar. One of the types of reprehensible lying is false testimony. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) went to great lengths to keep people away from it and warn them of its evil consequences. He said to his Companions loudly: «Shall I inform you of the gravest major sins? Associating partners with Allah and undutifulness to one’s parents.” Then, he sat up after being in a state of reclining and added: “And beware of the false testimony; and beware of the false testimony.” [28]He kept repeating his statement so as to warn the Ummah against committing this sin.
Fourteenth: Arrogance, self-conceit, self-admiration, and vanity:
Arrogance, self-conceit, and vanity are ugly and reprehensible traits frowned upon in the religion of Islam. Allah Almighty informs us that He does not love the arrogant. He says about them:{Is there not in Hell an abode for the arrogant?}[Surat az-Zumar: 60] A self-conceited, self- admiring, and an arrogant person is hated by Allah Almighty and hated by people.
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