EVERYTHING IS PERMISSIBLE UNLESS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED
Allah and His Beloved Prophet(ﷺ) expanded the sphere of permissibility(hilla) and constricted the ambit of forbiddance(hurma) for the welfare of mankind. The original rule for everything is permissibility(unless a legal evidence prohibits it).Almighty Allah has blessed the Ummah with great favor and bounty, originally declaring everything permissible and halal. Only those things that are expressly declared haram in the Holy Qur’an or Sunnah are forbidden. The Holy Qur’an revealed : ” He is the One who created for you all that is in the earth.” (Qur’an Surah Al-Baqarah Chapter 2: Verse 29)
Allah has created everything for the benefit of humankind. {Al-Tabari Jami al-bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran 1:149}
However the law of prohibition restrains this phenomenon concerning the things Shariah has forbidden. This principle of permissibility encompasses all the animals , birds , plants and human acts except those declared forbidden in Islam. Interpreting this verse , al-Nasafi and al-Zamakshari write : ” The phrase khalaqa lakum” {He created for you all} implies the things that are profited to the maximum and do not harm wisdom(mental faculties) any way. All such things are originally permissible and everyone can use and benefit from them.” {Al-Nasafi Madarik al-Tanzil,1:35; al-Zamakshari Al-Kashshaf an haqaiq ghawamid al-Tanzil 1:152}
Another verse of Holy Qur’an says: ‘Say: Who has forbidden the adornment (and beautification) of Allah that He has produced for His servants and (who has also forbidden) the pure and clean food?’
(Sura al-A‘rāf Chapter 7:Verse 32)
Here Almighty Allah has enjoined His Beloved Prophet(peace be upon him) to forbid people nudity and indecency and declare lawful the embellishment and decent embroidery on dresses and whatever has been made permissible in foods and beverages .
{Al Tabari Jami al-bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran 8:163}
The examples to prove the validation of benefit principle are many where Allah has clearly mentioned the forbidden things. However , He has not issued any injunctions to declare things that are permissible because they include “all that is created for you in the earth”. When it comes to the relations forbidden for marriage , described in detail in verse 4:23 , He has clearly revealed the permissible relations in the very next verse: “And (all women) other than these are made lawful for you.” ►{ Surah Nisa Chapter 4: Verse 24} . He has categorically mentioned the detailed list of forbidden relations for wedlock and clearly stated that every other relation is fair for the contract of marriage.
In the like manner , Allah has described the forbidden animals in the Holy Qur’an {Sura al-Mā’idah Chapter 5: Verse 3}, but has not mentioned the permissible foods anywhere.
Prophet of Mercy(peace be upon him) also stated this principle of permissibility in many traditions.
Hadrat Salman (Radiyallahu Anhu) has narrated: ” Once Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) was asked about ghee cheese and furry clothes.
{ Al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan Kitab Al-Libas 4:220 Hadith #1726; Ibn Majah in Al-Sunan ;Kitab Al-At’imna[The Foods] 2:1117, Hadith #3367}
He replied , “Permissible is what Allah has declared permissible in His Book and forbidden is what Allah has declared forbidden in His Book; and the things about which He has remained silent are forgiven.”
NO SOUL IS BURDENED MORE THAN IT CAN BEAR
One of the manifestations of the tolerance and moderation of Islam is that Allah doesn’t burden a soul with more than it can bear, whether in acts of worship , interactions or other things. Prophet(ﷺ) forbade extremism and excessiveness in statements or actions. He (ﷺ) encouraged his Ummah to make things easy , not to make things difficult.
Almighty Allah said , “We do not burden any soul beyond its ability to bear it.” (Sura al-An‘ām Chapter 6:Verse 152)
Moreover with every difficulty , Allah provides relief out of His mercy and ease to His servants lest they despair. Almighty Allah said , ” So surely ease (comes) with every hardship. Verily ,with (this) hardship (too) there is ease. “►(Sura ash-Sharh Chapter 94: Verse 5-6). For this reason , one difficulty cannot overcome two eases.
Whenever the Prophet(peace be upon him) would take the pledge of fealty(bay’ah) from someone – man or woman – he would always add at the end “as much as you are able.”
Hadrat Abd’Allah b. Umar(Radiyallahu Anhu) said ,”When we would pledge fealty(bay’ah) to Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) that we would hear and obey, he would add , ” As much as you are able.”
{Sahih Bukhari , Kitab Al-Ahkam [The Legal Rulings], Ch. How Imam is to take the Pledge of Fealty from the people,” 6:2633, Hadith #6776; Sahih Muslim Kitab Al-Imara[The Leadership], 3:1490,Hadith #1867}
Umayma b. Ruqayya(Radiyallahu Anha) said,” I went to Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) with a group of women in order to pledge fealty(bay’ah) to him on Islam. We said,” O Allah’s Messenger! We pledge our fealty(bay’ah) to you that we will not associate any partner with Allah and that we will not steal , fornicate , kill our children, or bring calumny or disobey you in what is good.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said , ” As much as you are able and can bear.” We said , ” Allah and His Messenger are more merciful to us than we are to ourselves.”
{ Ahmad b. Hanbal in al-Musnad 6:357, Hadith #365; Malik in Al-Muwatta 2:982, Hadith #1775}
Reference Book: Islam on Mercy & Compassion – Shaykh ul Islam Dr. Tahir ul Qadri
