KITAB ARBA'IN AN-NAWAWI
by: Imam An-Nawawi
The Halal is Clear and the Haram is Clear
عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ الْحَلَالَ بَيِّنٌ، وَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشْتَبِهَاتٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَمَنِ اتَّقَى الشُّبُهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ، وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ، كَالرَّاعِي يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَرْتَعَ فِيهِ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى، أَلَا وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ مَحَارِمُهُ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ»۔
[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ]Translation:
Narrated by An-Nu'man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Indeed, the lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between them are doubtful matters which many people do not know. Whoever avoids the doubtful matters has protected his religion and his honor, and whoever falls into the doubtful matters will fall into the unlawful. He is like a shepherd who grazes his animals around a protected pasture, and it is likely that they will enter it. Be aware: every king has a protected pasture, and Allah’s protected pasture is His prohibited matters. Be aware: there is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.” [Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: 1599]
Benefits of the Hadith:
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1
The Islamic Ruling Concerning Halal, Haram, and Doubtful Matters:
• Clear Clarity in Islamic Law: Islamic law is complete and clear. Clear lawful matters, such as pure and wholesome foods, and clear unlawful matters, such as alcohol, theft, and adultery, are distinct. A Muslim should benefit from what is lawful and stay away from what is unlawful.
• Avoiding Doubtful Matters: Doubtful matters are matters whose ruling is not clear to ordinary people. One should avoid them, particularly when there is a concern that they may lead to something unlawful.
• Prohibition of Attributing Rulings Without Knowledge: A person must not declare something lawful or unlawful merely according to personal desire. Such judgments should be based on proper religious knowledge. -
2
Allah’s Wisdom and the Importance of Knowledge in Doubtful Matters:
• A Test of Faith: Doubtful matters in dealings can be a test from Allah, revealing whether a person truly has faith and exercises piety.
• No Ambiguity in the Shariah: The Shariah itself is not defective or unclear. A matter may be doubtful to someone because of lack of knowledge, while firmly grounded scholars know its ruling.
• Respect for Scholars: In complicated matters, if a qualified scholar makes a mistake, one should not rush to insult or criticize them; rather, they may have an excuse because of the difficulty of the matter. -
3
Protection of Religion, Honor, and Piety:
• Safeguarding Honor: A Muslim should protect his religion and honor by avoiding doubtful matters. This helps preserve dignity and prevents people from finding faults or criticizing him.
• A High Standard of Piety: Taqwa teaches a believer not only to avoid clearly prohibited matters, but also to stay away from doubtful things that could eventually become a danger to his religion and character. -
4
Purification of the Heart — The Basis of All Actions:
• Foundation of Actions: The heart is the foundation of a person’s actions. Good or bad actions are closely connected to the condition of the heart, and outward conduct reflects inner spiritual conditions.
• Halal Provision and a Sound Heart: Pure lawful earnings strengthen faith and soften the heart.
• Spiritual Diseases and Their Treatment: Spiritual health is important alongside physical health. Hardness of the heart and diseases such as envy, hatred, arrogance, and hypocrisy should be treated through remembrance of Allah, frequent seeking of forgiveness, and sincere spiritual reform. -
5
Allah’s Limits and the Effective Method of Teaching:
• Allah’s Boundaries: Just as a king has boundaries and protected areas, Allah has set limits that include prohibited matters, and believers are warned not to cross them.
• Teaching Through Practical Examples: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used excellent teaching methods in conveying guidance. Through the everyday example of a pasture, animals, and a shepherd, he made a complex Shariah principle clear and easy for ordinary people to understand.