Makruh
Makruh (Arabic: مكروه, romanized: makrūh) is a technical term in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) denoting an action that is disliked or reprehensible by Sharia but not strictly forbidden, meaning a Muslim earns spiritual reward for abstaining from it while facing no punishment or sin for performing it.[1] This category falls within the five fundamental legal rulings (ahkām) of Islamic law: obligatory (fard or wajib), recommended (mustahabb or mandub), permissible (mubah), disliked (makruh), and prohibited (haram).[2] Unlike haram acts, which demand avoidance and incur sin upon commission, makruh acts are discouraged based on prophetic traditions or scholarly reasoning rather than definitive prohibition.[1] The concept of makruh varies slightly across the major schools of jurisprudence (madhhabs). In the Hanafi school, it is subdivided into two types: makruh tanzihi (mildly disliked, akin to permissible but better avoided, with no sin for performance) and makruh tahrimi (prohibitively disliked, nearly equivalent to haram in severity, where persistence may lead to sin though not full prohibition).[3] Examples of makruh tanzihi include using the left hand for eating or not performing siwak (tooth-cleaning with a stick) before prayer, while makruh tahrimi might involve delaying the Asr prayer without excuse or fasting on the day of Eid al-Fitr.[3] In contrast, the Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools generally recognize makruh as a single category of mild discouragement without the tahrimi/tanzihi distinction, treating what Hanafis call makruh tahrimi as outright haram.[4] Common examples across schools include women attending funeral processions or engaging in unnecessary conversation after the Isha prayer.[5] This nuanced classification underscores makruh's role in guiding Muslims toward optimal piety without imposing undue burden.[1]Definition and Etymology
Linguistic Origins
The term makruh originates from the Arabic triliteral root k-r-h (ك-ر-ه), which conveys the basic sense of disliking, detesting, or finding something odious.[6] This root, karaha, expresses a personal emotional response of aversion or repulsion, rooted in the everyday linguistic usage of classical Arabic.[7] Classical Arabic lexicographers further elaborated this meaning in comprehensive dictionaries. This purely linguistic sense of personal detestation laid the groundwork for its later adaptation in Islamic jurisprudence.Technical Definition in Fiqh
In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), makruh denotes an act that the Shariah discourages without imposing a prohibition, meaning the performer incurs no sin, while abstention earns spiritual reward. This ruling falls under the taklifi ahkam, emphasizing moral preference over legal compulsion.[8] The core principle of makruh derives from prophetic guidance in hadith literature, highlighting avoidance of detestable matters lacking explicit bans. A key example is the sahih hadith narrated by al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed: "Leave what makes you in doubt for what does not make you in doubt. The truth brings tranquility while falsehood sows doubt." This tradition establishes makruh as pertaining to doubtful or disliked actions, promoting piety through voluntary restraint.[9] In contrast to haram, which represents an absolute prohibition with enforceable penalties in both worldly and afterlife contexts, makruh carries no such consequences, distinguishing it by its advisory nature rather than punitive enforcement. The term makruh, rooted in the Arabic verb karuha meaning "to dislike," underpins its juristic application as a nuanced category within Shariah.[10]Classification in Islamic Jurisprudence
The Five Ahkam Taklifi
In Islamic jurisprudence, the ahkam taklifi (declaratory rulings) form the foundational framework for categorizing human actions according to their moral and legal status under Shari'ah, derived primarily from the Quran and Sunnah through principles of textual interpretation and ijtihad.[11] These rulings address the taklif (addressing of legal responsibility) to mukallafun (morally accountable individuals), ensuring every act falls into one of five categories that guide ethical conduct and divine accountability.[12] Classical usul al-fiqh texts, such as those by Al-Shatibi in Al-Muwafaqat fi Usul al-Shari'ah, establish this classification as essential for deriving rulings aligned with the objectives of Shari'ah (maqasid al-shari'ah).[11] The five ahkam taklifi are as follows:- Wajib (Obligatory): This ruling imposes a binding duty on the mukallaf to perform the act, with omission incurring sin and potential punishment; it is established by definitive (qat'i) or speculative (zanni) evidence from the Quran or Sunnah, such as commands (amr) like the five daily prayers.[11] In the Hanafi school, wajib is distinguished from fard (absolute obligation based on definitive proof), though both entail enforcement.[11]
- Mandub or Sunnah (Recommended): Acts falling under this category are praiseworthy and earn reward if performed, but their omission does not constitute sin; they are indicated by encouraging texts in the Quran or Sunnah, such as supererogatory prayers or voluntary charity.[12] This ruling promotes supererogatory devotion beyond the obligatory.[11]
- Mubah (Permissible): These are neutral acts where performance or omission carries no moral or legal consequence, reward, or penalty, serving as the default presumption for actions not addressed by specific texts; examples include ordinary eating or sleeping, unless context alters the status.[11] The Quran often implies permissibility through silence or general affirmations of human needs.[13]
- Makruh (Disliked): This category denotes acts that are reprehensible and best avoided, though commission does not entail sin or punishment; it arises from speculative evidence in the Sunnah suggesting disapproval, positioning makruh as a nuanced intermediary between permissible and forbidden.[11]
- Haram (Forbidden): Acts under this ruling are strictly prohibited, with performance leading to sin and liability for expiation or punishment; they are derived from explicit prohibitions (nahy) in the Quran or Sunnah, such as usury or adultery, divided into inherent (li-dhatihi) and conditional (li-ghayrihi) types.[11][13]