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Consumption of What is UnlawfulCorrupts the Hearts and Prevents
Supplications from Being Answered
There is clearly a strong relationship between the soundness or
corruption of a person's heart and his food and earnings. A person's
heart becomes corrupt when he earns what is prohibited and dares to
eat of it. The Prophet said in this regard: "Indeed, what is lawful is
evident, and what is unlawful is evident, and between the two are
matters which are doubtful and unknown to many people." Then he
followed this with: "Beware! In the body there is [a piece of] flesh
which, ifit is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt,
the whole body is corrupt. Behold, this [piece of flesh] is the
heart." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
The heart is like a king and the limbs are its subjects. They are good
when the king is good and corrupt when the king is corrupt.
Al-Munaawi stated that the Prophet spoke about the heart after
illustrating what was lawful and unlawful to indicate that consuming
what is lawful lightens and reforms the heart, while doubtful things
harden it.
A Warning against Eating the Unlawful
The Islamic Sharee'ah forbids its followers from consuming what is
unlawful, whether it is other people's money or rights, or foods that
Allaah The Almighty has declared prohibited. Allaah The Almighty Says
(what means): {And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or
sendit [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you
[to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, whileyou
know [it is unlawful].} [Quran 2:188]
Commenting on this verse, 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abbaas and his father, said,
"This is regardinga person who is indebted with something, but there
is no evidence to prove that he is. When the creditor claims his
right, this person refrains from repaying it, and sues the claimer
although he knows that it is not his right and that he is sinful - and
thus he consumes what is unlawful."
Qataadah said, "O son of Aadam, know that the judgment of a judge does
not permit you what is unlawful. A judge passes a verdict according to
his observation and the testimonies of witnesses, and he is a human
and thus liable to make mistakes.Know that anyone who has been favored
with an invalid verdict will never have his case finished. Allaah The
Almighty will judge between him and the other partyon the Day of
Resurrection, givingthe latter a verdict far better thanthe former had
in this worldly life."
Unjustly Devouring the Orphans' Property
There are various forms of consuming what is unlawful, the most evil
of which is devouring orphans' property unjustly. This is strictly
prohibited in the Quran;Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And
test the orphans [intheir abilities] until they reach marriageable
age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgment, release their
property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly,
[anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as
guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee];and
whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then
when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them.
And sufficient is Allaah as Accountant.} [Quran 4:6]
In his commentary on this verse, Shaykh As-Sa'di said, "The verse
prohibits consuming the property of orphans while they are young, when
they can neithertake it from one nor prevent him from consuming it.
One can devour it while they are still young, before they are grown
and can take it or prevent him from consuming it. Many guardians who
do not fear Allaahand have no mercy upon or love for the children in
their custody do this. They find the opportunity, which they seize,
and thereby hasten to commit what Allaah The Almighty has prohibited.
Therefore, Allaah The Almighty forbids this act specifically."
Moroever, this verse is followed by severe warning to those who devour
the property of orphans unjustly. Allaah The Almighty Says(what
means): {Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are
only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a
Blaze.} [Quran 4:10]
The Prophet was the most concerned with the well-being of his Ummah
(nation) and with warding off evil from it. Therefore, he warned
Muslims against consuming the unlawful, including the property of
orphans. He said: "Avoid the seven destructive sins." One of which is:
"Devouring the propertyof orphans." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Consuming Riba
Another form of prohibition which many people consider trivial and
dare to indulge in is the consumption of Riba (interest, usury).
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {ButAllaah has permitted trade
and has forbidden Riba.} [Quran 2:275]
In forbidding the consumption ofRiba and warning against its
consequences, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have
believed, fear Allaah and give up what remains [due to you] of Riba,
if you shouldbe believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a
war [against you] from Allaah and His Messenger. But if you repent,
you may have your capital - [thus] youdo no wrong, nor are you
wronged.} [Quran 2:278-279]
Who Could Bear a War against Allaah The Almighty?
Additionally, Allaah The Almighty explains in the Quran that Riba is
ultimately going to be destroyed.Allaah The Almighty Says (what
means): {Allaah destroys Riba andgives increase for charity.} [Quran
2:276]
Moreover the Prophet counted the consumption of Ribaas one of the
seven deadly sins.
There are many other forms of consuming what is unlawful, including:
theft, bribery, gambling, usurpation, fraud and deception, taking
booty before it is distributed, and excessive overcharging or
undercharging when selling or buying. We are not going to discuss in
detail each of these, however our intention is to warn generally
against consuming what is unlawful.
Supplications and the Consumption of the Unlawful
A person's means of living, whether lawful or unlawful, has adirect
impact on whether his supplications are answered. If a person
investigates his sources ofincome for the sake of eating what is
lawful, his supplication will be closer to being accepted and more
likely to be answered. If the person dares to eat what isunlawful, he
thereby causes his supplication not to be answered by Allaah The
Almighty.
In this regard the Prophet said, "Indeed, Allaah is Good and He
therefore accepts only what is good. Allaah commanded the believers as
He commanded the messengers by Saying (what means):
• "O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness.
Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing." [Quran 23:51]
• "O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have
provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that
you worship." [Quran 2:172]
He then made mention of: "a person who travels widely, his hair
disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky
[and thus makes supplication saying]: "O Lord! O Lord!" But his diet
is unlawful, hisdrink is unlawful, his clothes are [of] unlawful
[means] and his nourishment is unlawful. How could his supplication,
then, be accepted?" [Muslim]
Imaam Ibn Katheer said, "Eating from what is lawful is a cause for
supplication and other acts of worship to be accepted, and eating from
what is unlawfulprevents the acceptance of supplication and other acts
of worship."
Ibn Rajab said, "Eating, drinking, or wearing what is unlawful
prevents supplication and other acts of worship from being accepted."
Consuming what is unlawful doesindeed prevent supplication and other
acts of worship from being accepted. Ibn 'Abbaas and hisfather, said,
"Allaah The Almighty does not accept the prayers of a person whose
belly contains something unlawful."
Ibn Rajab said, "If [one's] nourishment is unlawful, how can [his]
deeds be acceptable?"
Wahb ibn Al-Ward said, "Even if you worship Allaah endlessly, nothing
will help you until you scrutinize whether what is in your belly is
lawful or not."
In sum, a Muslim should be sure that this worldly life is not his end,
and that he will be reckonedin the Hereafter for any unlawful thing he
earns. In the Hereafter, accounts will not consist of money; rather
they will consist ofgood and evil deeds.
Therefore, everyone should fear Allaah and seek lawful sources for his income.
May Allaah The Almighty guide all of us to do so, and keep all Muslims
and us away from everything evil and unlawful.
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