Honorable Muslims!
In the verse I have recited, Allah the Almighty states as follows: “Do not falsely declare with your tongues, “This is lawful, and that is unlawful,” ˹only˺ fabricating lies against Allah.”1
In the hadith I have read, our Prophet (saw) says, “What is lawful is clear, and what is unlawful is also clear. And between them are matters that are not clear, about which not many people know. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. But he who falls into the unclear matters falls into that which is unlawful.”2
Dear Believers!
Islam has closed off all paths to ill-gotten gains. Activities such as theft, bribery, usury, hoarding, and black marketing, which diminish the barakah of life and undermine peace and security, are haram. It is also forbidden to violate the rights of individuals and the public, which is a great wrong in the sight of Allah.
Islam has declared both the lesser and greater forms of interest, one of the greatest tools of exploitation and oppression, to be haram. Usury or interest cannot be accepted as a form of trade. The evolving and changing conditions can never change the fact that interest is haram. Our Lord’s (swt) warning in this matter is very clear: “Those who consume interest will stand ˹on Judgment Day˺ like those driven to madness by Satan’s touch. That is because they say, “Trade is no different than interest.” But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden interest…”3
All substances that endanger health and destroy families, such as alcohol, gambling, and drugs, are haram. Any action that corrupts human nature, undermines families and societies, and threatens the future of humanity, such as adultery, prostitution, and gender neutralization, is haram. Bad traits such as lying, gossiping, slander, and unfounded negative suspicion (su’ adh-dhann), which destroy love among people and undermine social solidarity, are haram. It is also a fact that whatever is haram and sinful in real life is also haram and sinful on social media and digital platforms.
Dear Muslims!
Unfortunately, we live in a time when sensitivity to what is halal and what is haram is diminishing day by day, when haram acts are encouraged and openly committed, and when the boundaries of privacy are disregarded. In such a time, our duty is to meticulously observe the standards of halal and haram set by Allah and His Messenger. It is our duty to instill in our families and children the awareness of halal and haram. Let us not forget that haram actions are the greatest barrier between Allah and His servants. Losing the sensitivity of halal and haram is the greatest disaster for both individuals and society.
I pray to Allah the Almighty to make us and our future generations among those who possess sensitivity to halal and haram.
[1] Nahl, 16/116.
[2] Bukhari, Iman, 39.
[3] Baqarah, 2/275.
Friday Khutba OF Tokyo Camii “Haram: The Greatest Obstacle Between Allah And The Servants” (PDF)