Saturday, November 23, 2019

PROHIBITION (HARAAM) IN ISLAM


Because Allah is the Creator of mankind and loves His creation many times more than their natural mothers, hence He sent 124,000 prophets in the world to guide them and ordered them to follow His Commands to avoid going to Hell Fire. The man is supposed to thoroughly ascertain if he is committing any prohibited act and abstain from it. The philosophy of prohibition is to avoid acts which are physically, spiritually, and socially harmful to the man himself.

The sources of Jurisprudential prohibition in Islam are the Glorious Qur’an and the (authentic) Traditions of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). Haraam means the things or acts forbidden by Allah. The related terms in the Islamic Jurisprudence are; Wajib (Farz) means Compulsory, Mustahab means recommended or desirable, Mubah means permissible (Neutral), Mak’ruh means disliked and Haraam means sinful or prohibited. There is a punishment for the one who commits Haraam act. The eight part of the “Furu-e-Deen” or Branches of Islam (Shiah) is “Nahi-anil-Munkar” which means the Muslim himself/herself should not commit the “Munkar” or sinful acts and advise others also not to commit any sinful act.
Broadly, sins (Gunah) are divided into Greater or Kabirah and Smaller or Saghirah. Some of the Greater Sins are believing in a partner of Allah, despair, total disregard of Allah’s punishment, murder of an innocent human being, fornication, disobedience to parents, Qata ar-rahm (cut-off ties with relatives), usurping the rights of orphans, usury (taking interest), fornication, homosexuality, Qazaf (wrongfully accuse of fornication), drinking liquor and gambling.

Allah in His infinite mercy may forgive the Smaller Sins as stated in Surah al-Nisa Ayah 31 which says, “If you shun the Greater Sins which you are forbidden, We will do away with your Smaller Sins and cause you to enter an honorable place of entering.”
The concept of Prohibition of Sins is related to the Piety (Taqwa). Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq (a.s.) defined Taqwa as “Submit to the Commands of Allah and do not go near the prohibited.” Some of the Prohibited acts mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an are as under:

Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 173 which says, “He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.” Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 275, “But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest….” Certain blood relations have been prohibited for marriage as detailed in Surah al-Nisa Ayah 23.” Shirk or associating others with Allah is prohibited as stated in Surah al-Mai’dah Ayah 72, “O Children of Isra’il, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Indeed, he who associates others with Allah, Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire.” Surah al-An ‘am Ayah 151 saying, “…. And do not approach immoralities, what is apparent of them and what is concealed. And do not kill the souls which Allah has forbidden except by (legal) right.” Surah al-Nur Ayah 2, “Flog the fornicating woman and the fornicator with a hundred lashes each.” Surah al-A’raf Ayah 81, “You engage in lustful activities with men instead of women. You have become transgressing people.” Surah al-Nisa Ayah 10, “Those who wrongfully consume the property of orphans are, in fact, consuming fire in their bellies and they will suffer the blazing fire.” Surah al- Ma’idah Ayah 90, “Believers! wine, gambling are all abominable acts associated with Satanic activities.”
 Making light of Salaat is also counted among Greater Sins. The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “One who considers prayer (Salaat) unimportant is not from me. By Allah he is not from me. By Allah he cannot reach near me at Hauz al-Kawthar.”

                Sources: The Glorious Qur’an and Greater Sins by Ayatullah Sayyid Abdul Husayn                                             Dasteghaib Shirazi


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