Avoiding Doubtful Matters in Business
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Halāl and ḥarām are clear, but there are certain doubtful matters between them, and avoiding these is extremely important for success and salvation. Therefore, even during business dealings, one should avoid engaging in doubtful transactions.
➊ Ḥaḍrat Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
“Indeed, halāl is clear and ḥarām is clear, and between the two are some doubtful matters which many people do not know:
فمن اتقى الشبهــات فـقـد استبرأ لدينـه وعرضه ومن وقع فى الشبهات وقع فى الحرام
So whoever avoids the doubtful matters has safeguarded his religion and his honor, and whoever falls into doubtful matters falls into ḥarām.”
[Bukhārī: 52, Kitāb al-Īmān: Bāb faḍl man istabraʾa li-dīnih]
➋ The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك
“Leave what causes you doubt for what does not cause you doubt.”
[Bukhārī muʿallaqan: before ḥadīth 2052, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb tafsīr al-mushabbahāt]
➌ The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ once saw a date lying on the road and said:
لولا أن تكون صدقة لأكلتها
“Had I not feared that it might be from charity, I would have eaten it.”
[Bukhārī: 2055, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb mā yatanazzahu min al-shubuhāt]
➍ Ḥaḍrat Abū Thaʿlabah al-Khushanī رضي الله عنه narrates:
I said: “O Messenger of Allāh, inform me about halāl and ḥarām.” He ﷺ said:
البر ما سكنت اليه النفس واطمأن إليه القلب والاثم ما لم تسكن إليه النفس ، ولم يطمئن إليه القلب ، وإن افتاك المفتون
“Righteousness is that which the soul feels at ease with and the heart is content with. Sin is that which the soul does not feel at ease with, and the heart is not content with, even if the muftīs give you a ruling.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1735, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb al-targhīb fī al-waraʿ wa-tark al-shubuhāt; Aḥmad: 4/194]
➎ Ḥaḍrat Nawwās ibn Samʿān رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
البر حسن الخلق والإثم ما حاك فى صدرك ، وكرهت أن يطلع عليه الناس
“Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which causes unease in your chest and you dislike that people should find out about it.”
[Muslim: 2553]
➏ Ḥaḍrat Abū Umāmah رضي الله عنه narrates:
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ: “What is sin?” He ﷺ replied:
إذا حاك فى نفسك شيئ فدعه
“If something causes unease in your heart, then leave it.”
The man then asked: “What is faith?” He ﷺ replied:
إذا ساء تك سيئتك ، وسرتك حسنتك فأنت مؤمن
“When your evil deed displeases you and your good deed pleases you, then you are a believer.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1739, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb al-targhīb fī al-waraʿ wa-tark al-shubuhāt; Aḥmad: 5/251]
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Halāl and ḥarām are clear, but there are certain doubtful matters between them, and avoiding these is extremely important for success and salvation. Therefore, even during business dealings, one should avoid engaging in doubtful transactions.
➊ Ḥaḍrat Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
“Indeed, halāl is clear and ḥarām is clear, and between the two are some doubtful matters which many people do not know:
فمن اتقى الشبهــات فـقـد استبرأ لدينـه وعرضه ومن وقع فى الشبهات وقع فى الحرام
So whoever avoids the doubtful matters has safeguarded his religion and his honor, and whoever falls into doubtful matters falls into ḥarām.”
[Bukhārī: 52, Kitāb al-Īmān: Bāb faḍl man istabraʾa li-dīnih]
➋ The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك
“Leave what causes you doubt for what does not cause you doubt.”
[Bukhārī muʿallaqan: before ḥadīth 2052, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb tafsīr al-mushabbahāt]
➌ The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ once saw a date lying on the road and said:
لولا أن تكون صدقة لأكلتها
“Had I not feared that it might be from charity, I would have eaten it.”
[Bukhārī: 2055, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb mā yatanazzahu min al-shubuhāt]
➍ Ḥaḍrat Abū Thaʿlabah al-Khushanī رضي الله عنه narrates:
I said: “O Messenger of Allāh, inform me about halāl and ḥarām.” He ﷺ said:
البر ما سكنت اليه النفس واطمأن إليه القلب والاثم ما لم تسكن إليه النفس ، ولم يطمئن إليه القلب ، وإن افتاك المفتون
“Righteousness is that which the soul feels at ease with and the heart is content with. Sin is that which the soul does not feel at ease with, and the heart is not content with, even if the muftīs give you a ruling.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1735, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb al-targhīb fī al-waraʿ wa-tark al-shubuhāt; Aḥmad: 4/194]
➎ Ḥaḍrat Nawwās ibn Samʿān رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
البر حسن الخلق والإثم ما حاك فى صدرك ، وكرهت أن يطلع عليه الناس
“Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which causes unease in your chest and you dislike that people should find out about it.”
[Muslim: 2553]
➏ Ḥaḍrat Abū Umāmah رضي الله عنه narrates:
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ: “What is sin?” He ﷺ replied:
إذا حاك فى نفسك شيئ فدعه
“If something causes unease in your heart, then leave it.”
The man then asked: “What is faith?” He ﷺ replied:
إذا ساء تك سيئتك ، وسرتك حسنتك فأنت مؤمن
“When your evil deed displeases you and your good deed pleases you, then you are a believer.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1739, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb al-targhīb fī al-waraʿ wa-tark al-shubuhāt; Aḥmad: 5/251]
