Bismillâh, wa-l-hamdulillâh, wa-s-salâtu wa-s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillâh. Ammâ ba`d,
In Islâm, there are five categories of Ahkâm (rulings) for every action mankind does. These are: Fard, Mandûb, Mubâh, Makrûh and Harâm.
In Islâm, there are five categories of Ahkâm (rulings) for every action mankind does. These are: Fard, Mandûb, Mubâh, Makrûh and Harâm.
1. Fard/Wâjib (Obligatory). An action that is classed as Fard/Wâjib must be performed by anyone who is considered mukallaf.
However, according to the Hanafi Madh-hab, the terms Fard and Wâjib have slightly different Shar`i definitions, which can be found towards the end of this article.
The one who performs a Fard act is rewarded and praised. However, the one who neglects a Fard act deserves torture from the Supreme Lawgiver (Allâh) (سبحانه وتعالى) in the Hereafter, and is condemned. However, it is ultimately up to Allâh to decide either to punish him or to forgive him. And the one who deliberately denies the obligatory nature of a Fard act is considered a kâfir, since the evidence is definite both in meaning and transmission (mutawâtir).
Fard actions can be further broken down into two more categories:
a. Fard `Ayn, meaning individual obligation. Any act that is classed as Fard `Ayn must be performed by every single person. Examples are the five daily prayers, fasting Ramadân and giving Zakâh.
b. Fard Kifâyah, meaning communal obligation. Any act that is classed as Fard Kifâyah does not necessarily need to be performed by every single person; the obligation is fulfilled if a group of people within a community fulfil this obligation together, and so the sin is removed from everyone in the community. However, if no one in the community fulfils the obligation, then the sin falls on everyone in the community.
Examples of this are performing the five daily prayers in congregation; the washing, praying over & burial of the deceased; and implementing the Sharî`ah on the face of this Earth.
2. Mandûb/Mustahabb/Sunnah (Recommended). The one who perofrms a Mandûb/Mustahabb/Sunnah act is rewarded and praised. However, the one who leaves out a Mandûb/Mustahabb/Sunnah act is not punished nor condemned.
There are two types of Sunnah acts:
a. Sunnah Mu'akkadah, meaning a confirmed/established sunnah. These acts are emphasised upon the believer to do. The Prophet generally did not omit performing this type of sunnah.
Examples are praying two rak`ahs before Fajr prayer, as well as the other Sunan ar-Rawâtib (to be discussed later Inshâ'allâh), and praying Witr.
b. Sunnah Ghayr Mu'akkadah. These are the sunnah acts which the Sharî`ah does not place as much emphasis upon as the Sunnah Mu'akkadah have, but should still be performed by the righteous believer.
An example is praying 4 rak`ât before `Asr.
3. Mubâh (Permissible). Here, the Lawgiver (Allâh) (سبحانه وتعالى) is giving us the choice of doing an action or abstaining from it.
Actions which fall under this category are neutral; the one who performs them do not get rewarded nor punished for performing these actions.The same is said for the one who does not perform them.
Examples are reading the newspaper, taking a morning walk and renovating your home.
However, the righteous believer should not keep himself occupied with mubâh actions, such as playing [halâl] games or watching [halâl] television shows, as they waste time, and time is an asset the righteous believer cannot afford to waste. In fact, time is so improtant, Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) swears an oath by it at the beginning of Sûrah al-`Asr.
4. Makrûh (Disliked). A makrûh act is that which the Supreme Lawgiver (سبحانه وتعالى) asks us not to do, but not in a definitive/decisive manner. The one who performs these acts is not punished nor condemned, but the one who leaves the Makrûh acts is rewarded and praised.
Examples of makrûh acts are eating foods that give you a smelly odour before coming to the masjid to pray (such as onions and garlic), speaking for no reason after `Ishâ' and not marrying.
Just because one is not punished for performing a makrûh action doesn't mean that one can perform makrûh actions all the time. It should be remembered that Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) is the one who dislikes these acts, so would a sincere, God-fearing person do what his Creator, Sustainer and Lord [who is also the Creator, Sustainer and Lord of all that exists] dislikes?
5. Harâm (Prohibited). Actions that are classified as Harâm must be avoided by the believer.
The one who performs the Harâm deserves to be tortured by the Supreme Lawgiver (سبحانه وتعالى), and is condemned. However, it is ultimately up to Allâh to choose to torture the person or to forgive him.
The one who avoids and abstains from Harâm acts is rewarded and praised.
Examples of Harâm acts are drinking alcohol, stealing, committing zinâ (illegal sexual intercourse), lying and swearing.
The sixth type of action, according to the Hanafi madh-hab, falls between Fard and Mandûb, though it is very close to Fard.
Wâjib (Necessary). According to the Ahnâf (Hanafis), the ruling of a wâjib act is the same as a fard act; performing it must be done and its doer is rewarded and praised, and abstaining from it makes you deserving of torture from the Lawgiver (سبحانه وتعالى).
However, deliberately denying the necessary nature of a wâjib act does not make one a kâfir, unlike the Farâ'id, where the deliberate denial the obligatory nature of a Fard act makes you a kâfir.
This is because the evidence for wâjib actions is either definite in its transmission and ambiguous in its meaning, or probabilistic in its transmission and definite in its meaning; whereas the evidence for a fard action is definite both in meaning and transmission (mutawâtir).
According to the Hanafi Madh-hab, examples of Wâjib acts are the Witr prayer, `Eid prayer and Udhiyah (qurbân/sacrifice).
Once we have the knowledge of the categories every action falls under, we must consider every action we do as to which category it falls under. By doing this all the time, inshâ'Allâh, we will become more cautious about what we do.
And Allâh knows best.
However, according to the Hanafi Madh-hab, the terms Fard and Wâjib have slightly different Shar`i definitions, which can be found towards the end of this article.
The one who performs a Fard act is rewarded and praised. However, the one who neglects a Fard act deserves torture from the Supreme Lawgiver (Allâh) (سبحانه وتعالى) in the Hereafter, and is condemned. However, it is ultimately up to Allâh to decide either to punish him or to forgive him. And the one who deliberately denies the obligatory nature of a Fard act is considered a kâfir, since the evidence is definite both in meaning and transmission (mutawâtir).
Fard actions can be further broken down into two more categories:
a. Fard `Ayn, meaning individual obligation. Any act that is classed as Fard `Ayn must be performed by every single person. Examples are the five daily prayers, fasting Ramadân and giving Zakâh.
b. Fard Kifâyah, meaning communal obligation. Any act that is classed as Fard Kifâyah does not necessarily need to be performed by every single person; the obligation is fulfilled if a group of people within a community fulfil this obligation together, and so the sin is removed from everyone in the community. However, if no one in the community fulfils the obligation, then the sin falls on everyone in the community.
Examples of this are performing the five daily prayers in congregation; the washing, praying over & burial of the deceased; and implementing the Sharî`ah on the face of this Earth.
2. Mandûb/Mustahabb/Sunnah (Recommended). The one who perofrms a Mandûb/Mustahabb/Sunnah act is rewarded and praised. However, the one who leaves out a Mandûb/Mustahabb/Sunnah act is not punished nor condemned.
There are two types of Sunnah acts:
a. Sunnah Mu'akkadah, meaning a confirmed/established sunnah. These acts are emphasised upon the believer to do. The Prophet generally did not omit performing this type of sunnah.
Examples are praying two rak`ahs before Fajr prayer, as well as the other Sunan ar-Rawâtib (to be discussed later Inshâ'allâh), and praying Witr.
b. Sunnah Ghayr Mu'akkadah. These are the sunnah acts which the Sharî`ah does not place as much emphasis upon as the Sunnah Mu'akkadah have, but should still be performed by the righteous believer.
An example is praying 4 rak`ât before `Asr.
3. Mubâh (Permissible). Here, the Lawgiver (Allâh) (سبحانه وتعالى) is giving us the choice of doing an action or abstaining from it.
Actions which fall under this category are neutral; the one who performs them do not get rewarded nor punished for performing these actions.The same is said for the one who does not perform them.
Examples are reading the newspaper, taking a morning walk and renovating your home.
However, the righteous believer should not keep himself occupied with mubâh actions, such as playing [halâl] games or watching [halâl] television shows, as they waste time, and time is an asset the righteous believer cannot afford to waste. In fact, time is so improtant, Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) swears an oath by it at the beginning of Sûrah al-`Asr.
4. Makrûh (Disliked). A makrûh act is that which the Supreme Lawgiver (سبحانه وتعالى) asks us not to do, but not in a definitive/decisive manner. The one who performs these acts is not punished nor condemned, but the one who leaves the Makrûh acts is rewarded and praised.
Examples of makrûh acts are eating foods that give you a smelly odour before coming to the masjid to pray (such as onions and garlic), speaking for no reason after `Ishâ' and not marrying.
Just because one is not punished for performing a makrûh action doesn't mean that one can perform makrûh actions all the time. It should be remembered that Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) is the one who dislikes these acts, so would a sincere, God-fearing person do what his Creator, Sustainer and Lord [who is also the Creator, Sustainer and Lord of all that exists] dislikes?
5. Harâm (Prohibited). Actions that are classified as Harâm must be avoided by the believer.
The one who performs the Harâm deserves to be tortured by the Supreme Lawgiver (سبحانه وتعالى), and is condemned. However, it is ultimately up to Allâh to choose to torture the person or to forgive him.
The one who avoids and abstains from Harâm acts is rewarded and praised.
Examples of Harâm acts are drinking alcohol, stealing, committing zinâ (illegal sexual intercourse), lying and swearing.
The sixth type of action, according to the Hanafi madh-hab, falls between Fard and Mandûb, though it is very close to Fard.
Wâjib (Necessary). According to the Ahnâf (Hanafis), the ruling of a wâjib act is the same as a fard act; performing it must be done and its doer is rewarded and praised, and abstaining from it makes you deserving of torture from the Lawgiver (سبحانه وتعالى).
However, deliberately denying the necessary nature of a wâjib act does not make one a kâfir, unlike the Farâ'id, where the deliberate denial the obligatory nature of a Fard act makes you a kâfir.
This is because the evidence for wâjib actions is either definite in its transmission and ambiguous in its meaning, or probabilistic in its transmission and definite in its meaning; whereas the evidence for a fard action is definite both in meaning and transmission (mutawâtir).
According to the Hanafi Madh-hab, examples of Wâjib acts are the Witr prayer, `Eid prayer and Udhiyah (qurbân/sacrifice).
Once we have the knowledge of the categories every action falls under, we must consider every action we do as to which category it falls under. By doing this all the time, inshâ'Allâh, we will become more cautious about what we do.
And Allâh knows best.
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