36/14. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 3984 — Halal, Haram, and the Heart
Abstaining from matters that are not clear
Halal and Haram Hadith: Guarding the Heart From Doubtful Matters
Sunan Ibn Majah : 3984
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 3984
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، يَقُولُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَأَهْوَى بِإِصْبَعَيْهِ إِلَى أُذُنَيْهِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " الْحَلاَلُ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشْتَبِهَاتٌ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَمَنِ اتَّقَى الشُّبُهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ كَالرَّاعِي حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَرْتَعَ فِيهِ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى أَلاَ وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ مَحَارِمُهُ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلُحَتْ صَلُحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ " .
An-Nu'man bin Bashir Narrated from:
While on the pulpit, pointing with this fingers towards his ears, Nu’man bin Bashir said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain, and between them are matters that are not clear, about which not many people know. Thus he who guards against the unclear matters, he clears himself with regard to his religion and his honor. But he who falls into the unclear matters, he falls into that which is unlawful.Like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Every king has a sanctuary. And beware! Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Beware! In the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound, the whole body will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. It is the heart.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 3984In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 59English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 3984
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 3984
This halal and haram Hadith explains that lawful matters are clear and unlawful matters are clear. Between them are doubtful matters that many people do not know. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم teaches that avoiding doubtful matters helps a person protect religion and honor. He gives the example of a shepherd grazing near a protected area; the closer he gets, the more likely he is to enter it. The Hadith then points to the heart. If the heart is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. The main lesson is careful faith, clean choices, and a sound heart.
What we learn from this hadith
- Halal and haram are clear in many matters.
- Avoiding doubtful matters protects religion and honor.
- The state of the heart affects the whole person.
- Getting close to prohibited matters can lead to falling into them.
