HARÂM (I)

Harâm is something which Allâhu ’adhîm-ush-shân plainly prohibits in the Qur’ân al-kerîm. In other words, it is one of the ‘don’ts’ that He declares in the Qur’ân al-kerîm. A person who takes a harâm lightly or denies it, becomes a kâfir. A person who commits a harâm although he believes that it is a harâm, does not become a kâfir. He becomes fâsiq. [Ibni ’Âbidîn ‘rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ’ states as follows in his treatment of the subject pertaining to being an imâm: [Imâm, in this context, is a Muslim who conducts namâz being performed in jamâ’at, which in turn is explained in detail in the twentieth chapter of the fourth fascicle of Endless Bliss.] “You should not perform namâz (in jamâ’at) being conducted by a fâsiq imâm. Fâsiq means (a Muslim) who commits a grave sin such as drinking wine, fornication, and taking interest. [A venial sin continuously committed worsens into a grave sin.] At places where Friday prayer is being performed in more than one mosques, you should perform your Friday prayer in a mosque with a sâlih imâm, rather than in one with a fâsiq imâm. It is wâjib to treat a fâsiq person with betrayal and insult. However learned a fâsiq person may be, he should not be made an imâm. To make him an imâm would mean to treat him as if he were a great person and to respect him. If a person is fâsiq, as well as if he does not belong to any one of the (four) Madhhabs, it is makrûh tahrîmî to make him an imâm. It is called taqwâ to avoid harâms. It is wara’ to avoid things which it is doubtful whether are halâls or harâms. And it is called zuhd to do without halâls lest you should do something doubtful. If a person becomes a Believer as he lives in the Dâr-ul-harb, it is wâjib for him to migrate to the Dâr-ul-islâm.”]