What Are the Unclear Matters (Mutashabihat) in the Hadith on Lawful and Unlawful?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

In the hadith: “The lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear, and between them are unclear matters”—what are these unclear matters (mutashabihat)?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

The meaning of this hadith is that the things Allah (Most High) has created fall into three categories:

One: Clearly Lawful (Halal)

These are things whose permissibility is clear and undisputed, such as bread, fruits, oil, honey, and other foods. Similarly, actions like speaking, looking, walking, and other behaviors are obviously lawful, with no doubt about their permissibility.

Two: Clearly Unlawful (Haram)

These are things whose prohibition is clear, such as alcohol, pork, carrion, and urine, among other prohibited items.

Three: Unclear Matters (Mutashabihat)

These are things whose permissibility or prohibition is not clearly known. Thus, many people are unaware of their rulings, as they are not clearly identified as halal or haram.

Finally, due to the significance of this hadith, scholars have stated that it is one of the foundational hadiths of Islam. Some have said that it constitutes one-third of Islam because the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) emphasized in it the importance of being cautious about what one consumes, wears, and other related matters. [See: Nawawi, Sharh Muslim]

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa

Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.

He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.

He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.

Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.