Musnad Shihab

Explanation: -
This hadith is extremely necessary for understanding the temperament and spirit of the religion, which is why it is counted among the fundamental hadiths of Islam. In it, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has informed the Ummah of such a principle that, by adopting it, one can attain honor and elevation in both this world and the Hereafter. That principle is that a person should abandon all those statements and actions about which there is doubt as to whether they are permissible or impermissible, Sunnah or innovation (bid‘ah), and instead adopt only those statements and actions about which there is no kind of doubt. In the blessed hadith, things that are doubtful or ambiguous are referred to as "mushtabihat" (doubtful matters). The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has given a very clear directive that whoever avoids these doubtful matters has protected his religion and his honor. [بخاري : 52]

The meaning is that whoever becomes involved in matters of doubt and suspicion, neither his religion can remain protected nor his honor. Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu narrates that once the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam saw a date lying on the road, and he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "If I did not fear that it might be from charity (sadaqah), I would have surely eaten it." [بخاري : 2331]

That is, merely on the basis of doubt, he did not pick up and eat that date, fearing that it might be from charity. In another hadith, he said: "I go to my house and find a date lying on my bed. I pick it up to eat it, but then I throw it away merely out of fear that it might be from charity." [بخاري : 2432]

He also said: "A servant cannot reach the station of piety (taqwa) until he abandons even those things in which there is no harm, for the sake of avoiding doubtful matters." [ابن ماجه : 4215 ، وسنده حسن]