Jazakallahu Khairan akhi. May Allah elevate your status.


With regards to the quiz, I'm a bit confused.


I was always of the opinion that it is more obligatory for the believer to refrain from the haram than to do the wajib as stated in the hadeeth as narrated by Abu Hurairah where the Rassul (salallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:


", whatever I forbid you from, then abstain from it but whatever I order you to do, then do as much as you can." (Bukhari book number 91 hadeeth number 391)


It seems that the ayah you supplied is specific to salaah while this hadeeth is more general. Allah knows best.


I would appreciate it if you could shed light on this.


Barakallahu feek.


Umm Rummaan.





وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:

إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو له

رواه مسلم وغيره

From Abu Hurairah who related from the Prophet, that he heard the Prophet say “ When the son of Adam (the slaves of ALLAAH) dies, all his deeds stop (to be rewarded) except from three (deeds) a continuous charity, beneficial (religious) knowledge that he leaves behind (and people benefits from) or a righteous child that prays for him.” narrated by Imaam Muslim and others classified as authentic by Shayk Nasser Al-bani in the Book of Knowledge of Sahih At-Targheeb wa At-Tarheeb.





Bismillaah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem

Amma’ Baa’d

Salaam alaykum wa rahmatulLaah



1. I was always of the opinion that it is more obligatory for the believer to refrain from the haram than to do the wajib as stated in the hadeeth as narrated by Abu Hurairah where the Rassul (salallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: ", whatever I forbid you from, then abstain from it but whatever I order you to do, then do as much as you can." (Bukhari book number 91 hadeeth number 391)



· For us to understand the intent of the aforementioned hadeeth, we need to read the Arabic text and the complete narration.

· The text of the above mentioned hadeeth can be found in Sahih Bukhari under “the Chapter of Following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (may the peace and blessings of ALLAAH be upon him)”

· Ibn Hajar Asqalani says that Imaam Muslim provides the complete text of the above mentioned hadeeth (the hadeeth can easily be found in Riyadh Saliheen and Bulug Al-Maram under the Book of Hajj[this is my personal statement])

أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: (دعوني ما تركتكم، إنما أهلك من كان قبلكم سؤالهم واختلافهم على أنبيائهم، فإذا نهيتكم عن شيء فاجتنبوه، وإذا أمرتكم بأمر فأتوا منه ما استطعتم). وذكر مسلم سبب هذا الحديث من رواية محمد بن زياد فقال عن أبي هريرة خطبنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا أيها الناس قد فرض الله عليكم الحج فحجوا فقال رجل أكل عام يا رسول الله فسكت حتى قالها ثلاثا فقال رسول الله لو قلت نعم لوجبت ولما استطعتم ثم قال ذروني ما تركتكم الحديث

From Abu Hurairah, the Prophet gave us a speech (an admonition) “O people! ALLAAH has made compulsory upon you The Pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj). So perform the pilgrimage”, then a man asked is the pilgrimage to be performed every year O messenger of Allaah? But he (the Prophet) was quiet until the man asked thrice. Then the Messenger of ALLAAH said “if I say yes (to your question) then going for pilgrimage every year would be compulsory and you will not be capable of doing so”, then he said, “leave for me (the legislations) as I have left it for you (do not ask for details I didn’t specify), for verily that which destroyed the people before you (e.g the Jews) was their questions and disagreements with their Prophets. So when I prohibit you from something stay away from it and when I command you with a command then do from it what is within your capabilities”
Imaam Nawawi says: this hadeeth is from amongst the short but comprehensive speech (of the Prophet). Many rulings can be deduced from the hadeeth, like praying while sitting for some one that can’t stand (since he his not capable of standing)
Ibn Hajar Says: “and the claim that the prohibitions are weightier than the commands is not supported by this hadeeth, rather it emphasizes the full capability of abstaining from the prohibitions, since every one is capable of abstaining from prohibitions (where it not for the lustful desires calling towards indulging in unlawful acts), thus it is not possible to think that you can’t abstain from prohibitions. This is in contrast to obligations, because the possibility of not fulfilling the commands as expected (by the Lawgiver at all times) is some thing real, (since a man can be sick tomorrow and may not pray standing as commanded and thus pray sitting etc in accordance with his ability) thus He (the Prophet) attributed the fulfilling of the commands as being in accordance to a person’s capability”.(Fathul Baari Vol. 13 Explanation of the Hadeeth No. 6858)


2. It seems that the ayah you supplied is specific to salaah while this hadeeth is more general. Allah knows best

· The statement that the verse quoted is specific to prayer is not correct: Allaah says: “اتْلُ مَا أُوْحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصّلاَةَ إِنّ الصّلاَةَ تَنْهَىَ عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

· The Translation “Recite what has been revealed to you from the book and establish the prayer. Verily the prayer prevents from evil and bad deeds, and the remembrance of ALLAAH is greater and ALLAAH knows what you do” Q29 V 45

· Ibn Katheer says: “that it has been reported from Ibn Abbas, Ibn Masuud, Abi Dardaa and others that the meaning of the remembrance of ALLAAH in the verse means that ALLAAH remembrance of you (Muslims) is greater (in reward, virtue, effect etc) than your remembrance of HIM.”

· He continues: “and the Prayer is also part of the remembrance of ALLAAH”.

· Verses and narrations are bound that shows that fulfilling commands prevents committing prohibitions due to the fact that commands are weightier than prohibitions like the following:

o Remembrance of ALLAAH prevents committing prohibitions Allaah says: “verily, those who are pious, when an evil thought comes to them from Shaitan they remember (Allaah) and indeed see (aright). But as for the brothers ( of the devil) they (the devils) plunge them into deeper errors and they never stop”Q7vs201-202

o Fasting is a means to preventing fornication and protecting some one that can’t find the means to marry from it, the prophet said “O you youths whoever has the means amongst you should get married because that is the best means of preventing the eyes (from looking at strange women) and keeping the private part safe (from fornication) and for he that does not have the means (can not marry) should fast, because that (fasting) will be a shield for him” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim

o Spending in charity is a means to preventing being covetous, Allaah says: “so keep your duty to ALLAAH as much as you can, listen and obey and spend in charity that is better for yourselves. And whoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are successful” Q64v16.

o Jihad prevents injustice, wrong doing and mischief on the land Allaah says: “…and if ALLAAH did not check one set of people by means of another (through Jihad) the earth would indeed be full of mischief. But ALLAAH is full of bounty to Mankind” Q 2v 249-252



3. I would appreciate it if you could shed light on this.

Finally, to conclude Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziya cites in his book Al-Fawaaid (Beneficial Points/Lessons -from the teachings of the Quran, the Sunnah and the Righteous predecessors) up to 23 arguments under the beneficial point regarding “not fulfilling commands is greater in sin than committing prohibitions” to prove that fulfilling the Commands is more rewarding than abstaining from the Prohibitions. Some of the arguments cited are:

The committing of sins most of the times is caused by following ones’ lust, desires and unjustified need while not fulfilling a command is caused most of the times by pride and self esteem (compare Adam and Satan. Adam committed a prohibition because he felt there was a need to be immortal Q20v120 and Satan disobeyed a command due to pride and arrogance Q2v34)
fulfilling the commands are more loving to Allaah than abstaining from the prohibitions and many verses and narrations point to this fact like the verse “ and be just, verily ALLAAH loves the just ones” Q49v9 “and do good, verily Allaah loves those that do good” Q2v . As for the narration the Prophet said “the most beloved of your deeds to ALLAAH is prayer established at its earliest time”sahih Bukhari
Fulfilling commands are the direct intent of legislations while abstaining from prohibitions are intended to perfect the fulfilling of commands, because indulging in prohibitions weakens, prevents and eventually deprives one the ability to carry out the commands as informed by ALLAAH for example regarding intoxicants and gambling which both prevents remembrance of ALLAAH and establishing the prayers.
whoever comes on the last day without fulfilling any obligation or command but was able to abstain from all the prohibitions will be thrown into the fire, in contrast to some one who fulfill all obligations and commits all prohibitions, he may be saved if his good deeds outweighs his evil ones, and this is because he fulfilled the commands


These are the points I was made to gather in, whatever is correct and good, then this is from ALLAAH‘s favor and whatever mistake occurs there in, then it is from me& my Shaitan,



May ALLAAH forgive me for my errors and I ask Him to forgive you all also

I don't get the essense of the above. I am however wondering why the respondent thought certain rules are meant for solat only. That is the area I wish to contest. Whatever rule that is made in Islam often have general appeal. Can we say that just because intoxicant was forbidden during solat, muslims can drink when are not in solat?

Like I pointed out in a thread. We must be wary of debating the controversies. It is clear from one of the hadiths sited above that even the prophet tried to avoid the things that stir controversy. Read the hadiths on pilgrimage again and digest the prophet's intent.

For the sake of clarity. Shariah divided islamic acts into 5.

1. Mandatory. Whether we like it or not, it is obligatory on us. If we do them, we are reward, and if we don't, we are punished. These acts are clear, unambigous, undebatable!

2. The Forbidden: totally unallowed. Unacceptable. No matter the allure. If you avoid it, you are blessed. If you don't, you are punished. Again, these are clear as snow. No one of us can dispute them.

3. The Recommended. These are cherished acts. Do them, and you are blessed. But no punishment were specified if you missed them. These acts are debatable. Sometimes controversial. But we all know that it has a lot of reward attached to them.

4. The Disliked. These acts are not forbidden. But are disliked. They carry no punishment when executed. But those who avoid them are blessed in a way. Say for instance, divorce. It is grouped among disliked acts. But it is not forbidden. Many more are in this group. These acts are also debatable. We can write encyclopedia on them without ariving at consensus. That is normal.

5. The last ones are those where shariah is SILENCE. We know that om most occasion, shariah is silenced on certain issues. These acts are very, very controversial and subject to consensus of the ulama'. I think many wise ulama avoids debating them. So many are careful in how they handle them. For instance, suicide bombing.