الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا 

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمدًا عبده ورسوله .

People often seek religious answers regarding Hallal and Haram on issues such as: hjjab, bank interest, music, life insurance, eating meat, zakat on 401k. 

In order to address these questions, we must first realize 10 key attributes of the religion of Islam that should be considered by anyone who are seeking answers to these questions as well as other religious rulings.

First: Allah says:

لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ‌ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَىِّ‌ۚ

“There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction as become distinct from erroneous.” (Al-Baqara 2:256)

This means that when it comes to beliefs and religious practices, no one can force you to do anything against you will as long as what you are doing does not hurt anyone else.

Second:  You will face Allah alone and be held responsible for what you have done and thus what you do should be based on your convection, Allah says:

إِن ڪُلُّ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّآ ءَاتِى ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ عَبۡدً۬ا (٩٣) لَّقَدۡ أَحۡصَٮٰهُمۡ وَعَدَّهُمۡ عَدًّ۬ا (٩٤) وَكُلُّهُمۡ ءَاتِيهِ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ فَرۡدًا (٩٥)

“There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto Al-Rahman as a slave. (93) Verily, He has fully accounted them, and has numbered them exactly. (94) And every one of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Judgement (without any protector or defender).” (Al-Maryam 19: 93-95)

Since you will face Allah alone with no defenders, when someone gives you an opinion and you decide to follow it, you will own it the excuse that such and such has told me is not acceptable.

Third:  Islam is unique religion with respect to advancing the intellectual capacity of its followers, and promoting their self-confidence and these make Muslims the most qualified people to serve as guardians of the universe that Allah created and subjugated for the service of mankind. 

If you examine the Quran, you note that its revelations starts with directing Muslims to seek knowledge as Allah says: (قۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ) “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists),” (Al-Alaq 96:1)

The Quran also informs us that the advantage of man over all other creations is his ability to learn the knowledge that Allah makes accessible to him as Allah said: “He taught Adam the names of everything (وعلّم آدمَ الأسماء كلّها) (Al-Baqara 1:31).

It is clearly that the Quran demands Muslims to be thinkers, rationalists, knowledgeable, analyst, and mindful (يتفكرون ـ يعقلون ـ يعلمون ـ يتدبرون ـ يتذكرون).  These terms came in the Quran over 400 times.

Allah does not want Muslims to blindly accept what you hear but He wants Muslims to analyze what they hear and He gives glad tiding to those who listen to differing opinions and select the opinion that they consider best to follow.  Allah said in Surat Al-Zumur:

 (فبشر عباد. الذين يستمعون القول فيتبعون أحسنه أولئك الذين هداهم الله وأولئك هم أولو الألباب) (الزمر).

“Give the Good News to My Servants who listen to a saying, and follow the best in it: those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones who are endowed with intellect.” (Al-Zumur 39:17-18) 

Also, Allah wants Muslims to be thinkers and not just followers.  Even for the prophet (PBUH), Allah tells us that his role is to explain the revelation and it is the responsibility of people to think about it, as He said in surat Al-Nahl:

وَأَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلذِّڪۡرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

“And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad SAW) the Dhikr (the Quran), that you may explain clearly to the people what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought” (Al-Nahl 16:44)

To appreciate the importance of natural and religious sciences t Muslims, let me show you an advertisement for an Imam for a masjid about 460 years ago to see what are the required qualifications at that time and compare with our requirement now.  The imam is required to have advanced knowledge of

Languages: Arabic, Latin, Turkish and Persian

Books: Quran, Bible and Torah

Islamic Sciences: Shariah and Fiqh

Natural Sciences: Physics and mathematics

Fourth:  The Prophet (PBUH) instilled in the companions their self-confidence to make the decisions and allowed them to differ in interpreting his commands to teach them to resect each other opinion without division.

We all know the account that happened following the battle of the trench during which the Jews of Bani Korizah betrayed the Prophet (PBUH) and did not honor the treaty he made with them.  The Prophet told the Muslims: “Anyone who believes in Allah and his Messenger should not pray the Asr prayer except in the land of Bani Korizah”.   While Muslims were still in their way to the land of Bani Korizah the time for the Asr prayer arrived.  Some of them prayed the Asr before they reached the Land of Bani Korizah while the others waited until they arrived and, thus, prayed the Asr after its time passed.

The group who prayed when the Asr time arrived interpreted the Prophet’s order implicitly, i.e. they should go quickly.  While the group who waited interpreted the Prophet’s instruction explicitly, i.e. they should pray at a specific location.  In spite of the different opinions, Muslims respected each other’s interpretation and remained united.  Upon returning, they informed the prophet and he supported the actions of the two groups.

Sometimes, the companions would do things different than the Prophet (PBUH) and he would not object.  Sayedna Aisha said that she went with the Prophet (PBUH) to Mecca for Umra in Ramadan.  She told Prophet (PBUH):

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا اعْتَمَرَتْ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ حَتَّى إِذَا قَدِمَتْ مَكَّةَ ، قَالَتْ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي ، قَصَرْتُ وَأَتْمَمْتُ ، وَصُمْتُ وَأَفْطَرْتَ ، قَالَ : ” أَحْسَنْتِ يَا عَائِشَةُ ” وَمَا عَابَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهَا) الحاوي الكبير في فقه مذهب الإمام الشافعي(

O Messenger of Allah, you shortened the prayer and I completed it and you broke your fast and I fasted.

The Prophet (PBUH) said to her:  You did good Aisha.

He did not reprimand her for doing something different than him

Fifth: It is inappropriate and in fact prohibited for a Muslim to blindly follow anyone in religious rulings other than Allah and His messenger (PBUH).  This why you see all great scholars say, do not follow my ruling unless you understand my basis. Imam Ibn Hazm said:

فقيه قوي الحجة كابن حزم حيث قال: (إن التقليد حرام، ولا يحل لأحد أن يأخذ قول أحد غير رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بلا برهان):

“It is prohibited follow the opinion of anyone without a proof except the Prophet (PBUH)”

Imam Al-Shafie said:

فقال الشافعي: “مثل الذي يطلب العلم بلا حجة، كمثل حاطب ليل، يحمل حزمة حطب وفيه أفعى، تلدغه وهو لا يدري”.

The example of the one who accepts knowledge without proof is just as one who gathers wood at night and carries the bundle of wood while there is a snake in it and it will bite him without his knowledge.”

In fact, following others blindly is considered as act of shirk which is the biggest sin of all.  Allah condemned the Jews and Christian for blindly following their rabbis and priests by saying:

ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَحۡبَارَهُمۡ وَرُهۡبَـٰنَهُمۡ أَرۡبَابً۬ا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ

“They take their Rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah.” (Al-Tuba 9:31)

When Uday Ibn Hatim (عَدِيّ بْن حَاتِم ), who was a Christian, heard the Prophet (PBUH) reciting this verse, he said: They do not worship them (إِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَعْبُدُوهُمْ)

The Prophet (PBUH) replied: (بَلَى إِنَّهُمْ حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ الْحَلَال وَأَحَلُّوا لَهُمْ الْحَرَام فَاتَّبَعُوهُمْ فَذَلِكَ عِبَادَتهمْ إِيَّاهُمْ) No, they designate for them what is Hallal and what is Haram and they follow them and this is their worship to them.

If anyone suggest that he will not have the ability to make the decision regarding Allah’s intent in certain issue, he should start by increasing his Taqwa.  Only thru Taqwa you become a student of the most Knowledgeable and He will give a discriminating ability to differentiate between truth and falsehood as He said:

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُڪُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬

Have Taqwa of Allah and Allah will teach you. And Allah is knower of all things.” (Al-Baqara 2:282)

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن تَتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ فُرۡقَانً۬ا

O you who believe! If you have Taqwa of Allah, He will give you discriminating ability (a criterion to know the right from wrong) (Al-Anfal 8:29)

Sixth:  If you sincerely want to know what Allah wanted you to do on a specific issue and  you study the relevant verses form the Quran and the authentic hadeath and opinions of scholars and you become comfortable with a specific rule but it turns that this rule is wrong Allah will still you reward for my sincere effort and will forgive my mistake, as He said:

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡہَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡ‌ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا‌ۚ

“Allah does not place on any soul a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns and it suffers every ill that it earns. “Our Lord! Do not hold us accountable if we forget or make mistake.” (Al-Baqara 2:286)

Ibn Abbas (ابن عباسٍ) said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) said:

عن ابن عباسٍ رضي الله عنهما: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: (إن الله تـجاوز لي عن أمتي الـخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه) ؛ رواه ابن ماجَهْ والبيهقي وغيرهما.

Verily Allah has pardoned for me my ummah: their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and that which they have been forced to do under duress. (Ibn Majah, Al-Bayhaqi, and others]

If you follow my opinion after you evaluated it and you become convinced with it, you are like me, made a mistake and Allah will not hold you accountable because you did you best also to reach the truth but you make mistake.

But, if you just follow my opinion without giving it any thought just because you know me it turned to be a wrong opinion, are you held accountable.  You will be held accountable because you cannot use me an excuse, you will be responsible for your mistake. 

بَلِ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦ بَصِيرَةٌ۬ (١٤) وَلَوۡ أَلۡقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُ ۥ (١٥)

“Rather, man will be a witness against himself even if he offers his excuses” (Al-Qiyama 75:14-15)

Seventh:  One of the exceptional features in the Islamic Shariah which is unique among all previous religions is the emphasis on the removal of hardship.  There are many verses in the Quran and sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) that promote the concept of ease and removal of hardship.  Allah says:

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ

 “Allah wants things to be easy for you and does not want to impose hardship on you” (Al Baquara 2:185)

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفِّفَ عَنْكُمْ وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

“Allah wants to lighten things for you, since man was created weak” (Al-Nisaa 4:28)

مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ

 “Allah does not want to place any inconvenience on you, but He wants to purify you and complete his favors toward you” (Al-Maeda 5:6)

وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنۡ حَرَجٍ۬‌ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمۡ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ‌ۚ هُوَ سَمَّٮٰكُمُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ مِن قَبۡلُ

“And He has made no hardship in religion for you. It is the religion of your father Abraham. He has named you Muslims from before” (Al-Hajj 22:78)

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ

 “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet whom they find written for them in the Torah and the Gospel.  He commands them what is decent and forbids them what is evil, and relieves them of their burdens and the shackles (restrictions) which were placed upon them.” (Al-Aaraf 7:157)

But we cannot interpret the removing of hardship as a removal of responsibilities because there will always be an element of hardship in carrying any responsibility. Going to work every morning is a hardship that is illogical to remove, but going to work when the person is sick is a hardship that can be removed.

Eighth: It is dangerous for anyone to speak on behalf of Allah and give religious opinion that people follow unless what he/she is quoting in Arabic the exact verses of the Quran or the authentic hadeath of the Prophet (PBUH).

When the Prophet (PBUH) would send an army, he would tell his commander:  

عن سليمان بن بريدة عن أبيه قال كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أمر أميرا على جيش أو سرية أوصاه في خاصته بتقوى الله وقال له  :إذا حاصرت أهل حصن فأرادوك أن تنزلهم على حكم الله فلا تنزلهم على حكم الله ولكن أنزلهم على حكمك فإنك لا تدري أتصيب حكم الله فيهم أم لا ).  صحيح مسلم(

Have Taqwa of Allah and if you surround a fortress and its people wanted you to apply on them the rule of Allah, do not apply the rule of Allah but apply on them your own rule because you will not know whether you arrived to the ruling of Allah or not.

Imam Malik said:

وقال ابن وهب: سمعت مالكا يقول: “لم يكن من أمر الناس ولا من مضى من سلفنا ولا أدركت أحدا اقتدى به يقول في شيء هذا حلال وهذا حرام وما كانوا يجترئون على ذلك وإنما كانوا يقولون نكره كذا ونرى هذا حسنا فينبغي هذا ولا نرى هذا” ورواه عنه عتيق بن يعقوب وزاد: “ولا يقولون حلال ولا حرام أما سمعت قول الله تعالى {قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مِنْ رِزْقٍ فَجَعَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ حَرَاماً وَحَلالاً قُلْ آللَّهُ أَذِنَ لَكُمْ أَمْ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَفْتَرُونَ} الحلال ما أحله الله ورسوله والحرام ما حرمه الله ورسوله”.

It was not the common among the people today or our ancestors, nor I have ever met someone who was qualified to follow would say regarding anything this is halal and this is haram and they would not dare to do that. did not dare to do that. But they would say we dislike this and would do not see that.  Didn’t you hear Allah’s saying: “

قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُم مِّن رِّزۡقٍ۬ فَجَعَلۡتُم مِّنۡهُ حَرَامً۬ا وَحَلَـٰلاً۬ قُلۡ ءَآللَّهُ أَذِنَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ أَمۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَفۡتَرُونَ (٥٩)

“Say: “Tell me, what provision Allah has sent down to you! And you have made of it lawful and unlawful.” Say: “Has Allah permitted you, or do you invent a lie against Allah’ (Yunus 10:59). The Hallah is what Allah and His messenger made Hallal and what is Haram is what Allah and His messenger made Haram,

Interpretation, translation of the verses in the Quran reflects only the person’s understanding and it is not only obligatory on anyone accept unless the person agrees with them.  It is an act of transgression to make ruling regarding what is prohibited without having clear and unambiguous statement from Allah or His messenger.  Allah said:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحَرِّمُواْ طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡتَدُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ

“O you who believe! Do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress.  Indeed, Allah does not love the transgressors.” (Al-Maeda 5:87)

Allah has created all in the earth of us to enjoy using lawful means and no one has the authority to prohibit them.  If Allah gives you money that you earned thru lawful means and you want to live in a multi-million-dollar mansion, no one can tell you it is haram. 

Allah emphasized the same message by addressing those who give themselves the authority to speak on behalf of Allah and give their opinion that these things are Hallal or haram. Allah also says to them:

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَذَا حَرَامٌ لِتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ  )النحل(

“And do not let your tongues utter lies by saying: “This is lawful (Hallal) and this is forbidden (Haram),” so as to ascribe lies to Allah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allah will never prosper” (Al-Nahl 16:116)

Because the Hallah is vast, Allah did not specify it exactly but He used general terms such as Good (طَيِّبَـٰتِ), i.e. anything that is good is Hallal as Allah said: 

يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ لَهُمۡ‌ۖ قُلۡ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ‌ۙ

“They ask you what is lawful to them: say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure:” (Al-Maeda 5:4

But when it came to the prohibitions, Allah specified them in details as He said:

مَا لَكُمۡ أَلَّا تَأۡڪُلُواْ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ وَقَدۡ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِلَّا مَا ٱضۡطُرِرۡتُمۡ إِلَيۡهِ‌ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرً۬ا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهۡوَآٮِٕهِم بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍ‌ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ (١١٩)

“And why should you not eat of that on which Allah’s Name has been mentioned, when He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity? And surely many mislead by their own desires without any knowledge. Certainly, your Lord knows best the transgressors” (Al-Ana’am 6:119)

While you can reach a decision on your own for certain religious matters based on your serious study of the relevant verses in the Quran and authentic hadeath of the Prophet (PBUH) and follow your understanding, it is not advisable that you do not promote your idea to others. Because if you are mistaken, you may be responsible for all those who follow your mistake.

Nineth:  Only rulers can can make religious ruling based on Quran and Sunnah, Allah says:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنكُمۡ‌ۖ

“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority.” (Al–Nisa 4: 59)

Although differences of opinions existed among the companions, Sayedna Omar as Khalifa settled the matter in many cases by instituting one opinion.

Example: there were differing opinions regarding the number of Takberat in the funeral prayer funeral, some said it is 4, other said it is 5, some said it is 7 and others said it is 9.  Sayedna Omar instituted that it will be 4.

Example:  There were two differing opinion regarding whether a man who divorce his wife 3 time in one sitting is it considered as one divorce or as three divorces and thus he cannot remarry her until she is married to someone else.   Several of the companions including Abdullah ibn Omar said it will be considered as one, but Sayeda Omar instituted that it will be considered as 3 divorces.  Sayedna Omar did not make this ruling as scholar but he made it as ruler.

There is hadeath of the Prophet (PBUH) that is often misunderstood.   It is reported in both Boukhari and Muslim that Amr ibn Al-As (عمرو بن العاص) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

في الصحيحين رواه عمرو بن العاص عن النبي ﷺ قال: إذا حكم الحاكم فاجتهد ثم أصاب فله أجران، وإذا حكم فاجتهد ثم أخطأ فله أجر[البخاري ومسلم[

“If a ruler makes a ruling, striving to apply his reasoning (ijtihad) and he is correct, then he will have two rewards. If he makes a ruling, striving to apply his reasoning and he is mistaken, then he will have one reward.” (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

For some reason some interpret this to suggest that if a scholar or Faqeeh make a rule and it is wrong Allah will give him one reward and if it is correct, Allah will give him two reward.   But the hadeath does not speak about scholars, the hadeath speaks about rulers and by extension to judges who have to make rulings and these rulings has nothing to do with Hallah and Haraam.  

Therefore, this hadeath is listed in the books of the hadeath under the chapter of Justice and not under the chapter of knowledge.  So, it is not clear how this hadeath gets often quoted relative to the scholars. Actually, real scholars never claim it.  

Tenth:   The following are three rules that all legitimate scholars agree with:

1. (الفتوى لا تلزم الا صاحبها) The fatwa (religious opinion) is only obligatory to the one who makes it.
2. (المجتهد لا يجوز له ان يقلد مجتهد اخر) The intelligent person should not blindly follow another intelligent person.
3. (كل انسان مؤتمن على دينه) Every person is trustee over his religion. This is in reference to the verse in the Quran in which Allah says:

وَكُلَّ إِنسَـٰنٍ أَلۡزَمۡنَـٰهُ طَـٰٓٮِٕرَهُ ۥ فِى عُنُقِهِۦ‌ۖ وَنُخۡرِجُ لَهُ ۥ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ ڪِتَـٰبً۬ا يَلۡقَٮٰهُ مَنشُورًا (١٣) ٱقۡرَأۡ كِتَـٰبَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفۡسِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكَ حَسِيبً۬ا (١٤)

““And We have tied every man’s fate onto his own neck, and We will bring out for him, on the Day of Judgment, a Book which he will see laid open for him.  (It will be said to him) Read your Book! Your soul is enough this day to make an account against you” (Al-Isra 17:13–14).

Allah also says:

بَلِ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦ بَصِيرَةٌ۬ (١٤) وَلَوۡ أَلۡقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُ ۥ (١٥)

“Rather, man will be a witness against himself even if he offers his excuses” (Al-Qiyama 75:14-15)

Teminology: The divine ruling (الحكم الشرعى) is the exact words of Allah or His messenger (PBUH) in Arabic.  The Fiqhi ruling (الحكم الفقهى) is the understanding of the scholars of what is meant by the words of Allah and thus they can right or wrong.

Scholars have classified their interpretation of the divine ruling into five categories: prescribed or obligatory (فرض او واجب), recommended (مستحب او مندوب), permissible (مباح), disliked (مكروه) and unlawful or forbidden (حرام).

Because the Fiqhi ruling is human based, you will find differences among the different schools of Fiqh regarding classifications.  Even within the same school of fiqh you find different classifications on the same issue.

Example:  In the Hanbali school of Fiqh, there are 4 opinions regarding how a Mulsim become Kafir:

The kafir is the one who abandons the prayers; the kafir is the one who abandons the prayers and the zakat, the kafir is the one who abandons the prayers, the zakat and the fasting, and the kafir is the one who abandons the prayers, zakat, fasting and Hajj.

So, my recommendation is that should not tell anyone what is Hallal or haram, all you need to do is to quote for him the statement from the Quran and hadeath and direct him/her to the opinion of other scholars to study their basis.

Summary of principles

1. No one can force you to practice the religion
2. Everyone will face Allah alone to be held accountable for all what he/she did.
3. Muslims are thinkers, rationalists, knowledgeable, analysts and mindful.
4. Muslims have self-esteem and confident in making decisions
5. A Muslim cannot be blind follower of anyone other than the Prophet (PBUH)

6. Mistakes made after serious analysis are forgiven but following other’s mistake is liability.
7. Religion of Islam is easy and does not impose hardships

1. It is dangerous to speak on behalf of Allah and tell people this is Hallal or haram

1. Rulers can institute religious rulings to eliminate differing opinions
2. Everyone is guardian over his religion