بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Fardh Compulsory (Higher Level)
Rulings:
- Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool ﷺ have obligated it.
- To act on it is necessary and rewarding.
- Leaving it out even once, without a valid shar’ee excuse, is a sin. The transgressor is labelled a fasiq.
- One who denies its obligation becomes a kafir.
Example:
Five times daily salah. It is necessary and rewarding to perform them, while leaving one out even once is a major sin. A valid shar’ee excuse is, for instance, the person fell unconscious for the duration of the salah time. One who denies the obligation of the five times daily salah becomes a kafir.
Wajib Compulsory (Lower Level)
Rulings:- Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool ﷺ have obligated it.
- To act on it is necessary and rewarding.
- Leaving it out even once, without a valid shar’ee excuse, is a sin. The transgressor is labelled a fasiq.
- One who denies its obligation without shar’ee evidence is a deviant.
Example: Witr Salah at night. It is necessary and rewarding to perform the witr prayer, while leaving it out even once is a sin. A valid shar’ee excuse is, for instance, the person fell unconscious for the duration of the salah time. One who denies the obligation of the witr prayer without shar’ee evidence is a deviant.
Sunnah Muakkadah, Sunnatul Huda Emphasized Method and Style of our Beloved Prophet ﷺ
Rulings:
- To act on it is emphasized and rewarding, rather our salvation from Jahannam depends on it.
- It complements the Deen or fardh and wajib acts.
- Leaving it out once, without a valid shar’ee excuse, is blameworthy and the person will be admonished.
- The one who constantly leaves it out is sinning and may even be deprived of the special intercession of our Prophet ﷺ.
Example:
The twelve daily sunnah muakkadah salawaat. To perform them is emphasized and rewarding, rather our salvation from Jahannam depend on regularly performing them. Leaving them out once is blameworthy while constantly neglecting them is a sin. A valid shar’ee excuse is a shar’ee safar (travel).
Growing a beard long for males is a Sunnah Mukkadah. It is emphasised and rewarding. Shaving it or trimming it below a fist length is a sin and the person may be deprived of the special intercession of the Prophet ﷺ.
Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah, Sunnatuz Zawaaid Habitual Ways of our Beloved Prophet ﷺ
Rulings:
- To act on it is rewarding and an expression of our love for the Prophet ﷺ.
- Leaving it out is not a sin, though it deprives one of much good.
- It is above mustahab in status but below sunnah muakkadah.
Example:
Lengthening the ruku’ and sujood in nafl salah. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. The Prophetic method of eating, drinking and sleeping etc. Practising on these is rewarding and an expression of love for the Prophet ﷺ.
Mustahab, Nafl, Mandoob, Adab, Tatawwu’ Preferable, Recommended, Etiquette, Superlative
Rulings:
- Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool ﷺ like this act.
- To act on it is rewarding and it beautifies the act.
- Leaving it out is not a sin, though leaving it out may sometimes lead to a makrooh tanzihi.
Example:
Gargling until one’s throat in wudhu. To rinse the mouth in wudhu is sunnah but to push the head back and allow the water to reach the throat is mustahab. This act is recommended by the Prophet ﷺ himself. It completes the rinsing. Leaving it out is not a sin.
Sitting in a clean place during wudhu is mustahab. If one leaves this out, they would be sitting in a dirty place which is makrooh tanzihi.
Mubah, Jaaiz Permissible, Allowed
Rulings:
1. There is no reward or sin in acting or leaving it out.
Example:
Our everyday human needs. For instance, eating halal foods when slightly hungry.
Makrooh Tanzihi Disliked by Shari’ah
Rulings:
- Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool ﷺ dislike this act.
- To act on it, without a valid shar’ee excuse, decreases or deprives the act from rewards and blessings even though it is not a sin.
- One will be praised and rewarded for leaving it out and censured for committing it.
Example:
Calling the adhan without wudhu. This is disliked by Shari’ah. It will decrease the rewards of calling the adhaan. One who does this deserves to be reprimanded. One who calls the adhan in the state of wudhu will be praised and rewarded.
Makrooh Tahrimi Prohibitively Disliked (Forbidden-Lower Level)
Rulings:
- Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool ﷺ have prohibited it.
- To act on it, without a valid shar’ee excuse, is a sin. The perpetrator is labelled a fasiq. He may even be deprived of the special intercession of our Prophet ﷺ. In some instances, a makrooh tahrimi act can be a major sin.
- To abstain from it is necessary and rewarding.
- One who denies its prohibition without shar’ee evidence is a deviant.
Example:
To dye one’s hair black. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited this. It has been listed as a major sin in Az-Zawajir. To refrain from it is necessary. One who denies its prohibition without shar’ee evidence is a deviant. A valid shar’ee excuse to dye the hair black is, for instance, if a man is in jihad and he wants to instill fear in the enemy.
Haram Prohibited (Forbidden-Higher Level)
Rulings:
- Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool ﷺ have prohibited it.
- To act on it, without a valid shar’ee excuse, is a sin. The perpetrator is labelled a fasiq. Several haram acts are major sins.
- To abstain from it is necessary and rewarding.
- One who denies its prohibition becomes a kafir.
Example:
Consuming pork. To eat it is a sin. To abstain from eating it is necessary. One who denies the prohibition of consuming pig becomes a kafir. A valid shar’ee excuse is, for instance, a person was in a desert and had no other food and was dying of hunger.
Note: The degrees of sin vary based on the degree of the crime. Similarly, the amount of rewards varies based on the status of the deed.
References: Al-Mujaz fi Usool Fiqh by Ubaidullah As’adi, Nasimatul Ashaar by Ibn Abideen Shami, Jami’ul Asraar by Al-Kaaki, At-Talweeh by Taftaazani, Tawdheehul Mabaani by Mulla Ali Qari, Hashiyatut Tahtawi alal Maraqi, Fath Baab ‘Enayah by Ali Al-Qari, Bayanul Wahm wal Ihaam by Ibn Qattan, Az-Zawajir an Iqtirafil Kabaair by Ibn Hajar Makki
