Thread by @mnizami_uk

[Thread]
*What is halal does not need justification, but the haram does.*

There is a very well known shar'i maxim that goes: "The default in matters is permissibility", with the maxim based on the verse, "It is He who created all that is on the earth for you." (2:29)

The basic understanding is that things are to be taken as halal (permitted) unless there is something that compellingly informs us that it is haram (impermissible). The practical points that come out of this:

1. Not godly attitude that subservience built on restrictions. Diligence in abstaining from maharim comes AFTER strongly establishing God doesn't want those things for us. Musnt view shariah as restrictive framework but as constitutive - more about what we DO than what we don't.

2. Seeking to be restrictive (rather than engendering diligence) contradicts what God wants. To prevent an austere outlook God warns, "Believers, do not ask about matters which, if made known to you, might make things difficult for you..." (5:101)

Qur'an offers EXAMPLES of how this attitude leads to misguidance. One reason Jesus was sent to the Children of Israel was to temper their austerity! "I have come to confirm truth of the Torah which preceded me, & make some things lawful to u which used to be forbidden." (3:50)

3. God does not encourage austerity/restrictiveness anywhere in revelation, and in fact the opposite is true. We are told:
- "Strive hard for God as is His due: He has chosen you and placed no hardship in your deen." (22:78)
- "God wants ease for you, not hardship." (2:185)

- God wants to lighten your burden; man was created weak. (4:28)
- Say: ‘Who's forbidden adornment & nourishment God's provided for His servants?’ Say: They are permitted for those who believe during life of this world: they will be theirs alone on Day of Resurrection.' (7:32)

4. We must acknowledge subjective interpretations and biases & be very careful not to impute these on God. This is why we find that the salaf were particularly careful in making pronounced judgements of "halal" and "haram", and would instead say things like "*I* don't like it"...

...or "that doesn't work for *me*." Such behaviour was in following what God said, "Do not say falsely, ‘This is permitted (halal) and that is forbidden (haram),’ inventing a lie about God: those who invent lies about God will not prosper." (16:116)

Now I sympathise this way of thinking can b challenging for those used to viewing 'religiosity' as a list of don'ts, or who fear it opens floodgates to lewd permisiveness & iniquity. Such fears arent well founded since God clearly didn't when informing people of optimum attitude.

To conclude, what I seek (here and beyond) is:

1. To address this misrepresentation and unbalanced approach so that we rightly focus on the 'dos' which is far more inspiring, stands as heavier weight on the scales (mizan), and brings about actual productive outcomes.

*Not doing* doesn't build much, it simply averts. A focus on *doing* righteously productive things: harms averted & benefits produced simultaneously. An efficient attitude promoted by God. A prohibitory attitude causes us to obsess on material things rather than talk about God.

2. To erode idea that when we undermine restrictive attitude or speak abt permissibility of matters that somehow it's licence to legitimise immorality or what God has clearly sanctioned, or that we identify with the bizarre & paradoxical interests of "progressives/reformists"...

who we must acknowledge capitalise on cognitive dissonance induced by illegitimate restrictiveness. W/o indulging their delusions we need to speak to suffocating mentality so believers unshackled *by faith* to experience delights of imaan/ubudiyyah & witness its uplifting results

3. To clarify God wants us to celebrate e/thing we have & constantly show appreciation (hamd/shukr). We dont have to arrive at conclusion s/thing is permitted since that's a default position that doesn't change unless there's a strong argument to restrict such freedom.

To be clear, I have absolutely NO right to make subservience to God 'easier' for people, it's a right reserved solely for God. But God has articulated His expectations & *in His own words* has made subservience EASY, often effortless, since man was created weak.

Suffocating or dissonance-inducing conceptualisations severely undermine the ability of humans to enjoin in consistent and persistent subservience. The Prophet put it that the most valued actions to God are "those that are consistent, even if they are minimal." (al-Bukhari)

Much of this goes back to understanding the purpose of the Shari'ah: a measured and informed conceptualisation of what it actually is, what it's for, and what it's meant to achieve.

#TheShariahIsBeautiful
#BeyondDosAndDonts
#2020isComing