Urgency of Understanding the Legal and Illegal Matters for Muslim

“If even to get the illegal things is hard, then the legal ones must be harder.”

It is widely known to all of us, that The globalization era has affected some aspects of Muslims life. Whether they are aware of it or not, they are already dragged into it, and become part of it. Thus it is common to hear someone says, :”If even to get the illegal things is hard, then the legal ones must be harder.” An utterance that reflects the very low state of his faith in Allah’s mercy and His vast provision. Whereas Allah and His messenger -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- had strictly declared that Allah will provide their sustenance and that fulfillment is not of their burden to be carried out, just as He decreed:

“How many an animal there is that does not carry about its sustenance. Allah provides sustenance to them and to you. He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (The Spider: 60)

and his decree:

“I desire from them no provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.” (The Winnowing Winds: 57)

In both verses it is evident that Allah is The One Who will provide them their provisions and sustenance, and The One who sent after that His messenger to explain to His creatures the legal ones and warn them from illegal and bad things for them, as He mentioned in this verse below:

“(Today this Mercy is for) those who follow the ummi Prophet, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel that they have. He enjoins upon them what is good and forbids them what is evil. He makes the clean things lawful to them and prohibits all corrupt things and removes from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them. So those who believe in him and assist him, and succour him and follow the Light which has been sent down with him, it is they who shall prosper.” (The Heights: 157)

Consume Just The Legal and Beneficial!

After we recognize that whatever permitted by Allah is good, and the contrary, whatever He forbids is bad, then what is the obstacle to avoid the illegal and confine ourselves to the legal ones?

It is very simple for us to do, just keep obeying the commands of Allah to consume the good and legal things, and refusing to follow the footsteps and persuasions of Satan who calls people to evils and sorrows. Allah decreed:

“O people! Eat of the lawful and pure things in the earth and follow not in the footsteps of Satan. For surely he is your open enemy.” (The Cow: 168)

Because this is a form of our gratitude to Allah, Who has provide us with vast and abundance provisions. Allah had explained in His verse:

“Believers! Eat of the pure things wherewith We have provided you for sustenance and give thanks to Allah if it is Him that you serve.” (The Cow: 172)

If we are thankful, Allah will surely add His provisions. But if we’re ungrateful, and commit transgression, the dooms are surely ours.

Allah decreed:

“Saying: “Partake of the good things that We have provided for you, but do not transgress lest My wrath fall upon you; for he upon whom My wrath falls is ruined.” (Taha: 81)

The Importance of consuming the legal and the danger of consuming the unlawful

The matter of legal and illegal is very important for a Muslim, and this is reflected by the direct correlation that Allah has made between the legal and lawful foods with righteous deeds and worships. In a hadith which class is sahih, narrated by Muslim and other scholars, from the authority of Abu Huraira -may Allah be pleased with him- , The messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- said,

“O you people! Indeed Allâh is Tayyib (good) and he does not accept but what is good. And indeed Allâh ordered the believers with what He ordered the Messengers. He said: ‘O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and do righteous deeds. Verily I am well acquainted with what you do.’ (1) And He said: ‘O you who believe! Eat from the good things We have provided for you. (1)’ He said: “And he mentioned a man: ‘Who is undertaking a long journey, whose hair is disheveled and he is covered with dust. He raises his hands to the heavens and says: ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ Yet his food is from the unalwful, his drink is from the unlawful, his clothing is from the unlawful, and he was nourished by the unlawful. So how can that be accepted?” [1]

In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- explained that the foods consumed by someone have an impact upon whether his deeds will be accepted or not. This warn should be enough to make us take it seriously, and act more cautiously regarding this matter.

Ibn Rajab -may Allah have mercy on him- said, “This hadith indicated that a deed will not be accepted and is not considered as pure righteous deed unless by consuming the legal foods. And consuming the illegal and unlawful ones will damage the deeds and make it unacceptable.” [2]

This (the rejection of deeds) is undoubtedly dangerous for us. Take a look at another saying of the messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- below:

“Whoever from (His) slave whose flesh raised from unlawful (foods), the Fire is more appropriate for it.” [3]

Hopefully, this writing will make us to be more cautious and careful in living our life in this world.

And Allah is The One Who give guidance.

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Footnotes:

[1]. Narrated by Muslim in az Zakaah, no. 1015, at Tirmidhi in Tafseer of Qur’an, no. 2989, Ahmad in Baaqi Musnad Al Muktsriin, no. 1838, ad Darimi in Ar Riqaaq no. 2717.

[2]. Jaami’ul ‘Uluum wal Hikam 1/260

[3]. A part of lengthy hadith narrated by At Tirmidhi in at Targhiibu wa at Tarhiib. 3/17, and it begins with, “O Sa’ad, make good in food you’re consuming, indeed, your prayer will be accepted.” Al Haithami mentioned it in al Mujama’ 10/24, he commented, “Narrated by Ath Thabrani and there are unknown narrators to me in it’s chain, while this additional text is sahih due to the numerous hadith that support it, from Jabir and Ka’ab Ibn ‘Ujra and Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq, as what written in adh Dha’ifah 3/293, and it is narrated by at Tirmidhi with a similar text in al Jumu’ah no.614 from Ka’ab Ibn ‘Ujra in a part of a lengthy hadith, the actual text is,” “There is no flesh raised that sprouts from the unlawful except that the Fire is more appropriate for it.” Abu ‘Eisâ said: “This Hadith is Hasan Gharib.” And it is classed sahih by Al Albani in his work Sahih Sunan At Tirmidhi, in hadith no. 501

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Author: Ustadz Kholid Syamhudi. Lc.
Article of www.whatisquran.com

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