Many scholars from the various schools of juristic thought apply the principle of general permissibility to only muâamalat and adat, and not to âreligionâ (deen) – ritual acts or devotional worship (ibadat) and creed (aqidah). This opinion holds that in issues of deen or ibadah the exact opposite of the maxim or principle of permissibility applies: âEverything is haram except what is halal (from the clear explicit text of the Qurâan or authentic Sunnah). Yusuf al-Qaradawi, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, IIFSO, Salimiah, 1992, p.16-17.
According to Ibn Taimiyyah: âPeople’s sayings and actions are of two kinds: acts of worship (ibadat) by which their religion is established, and customary practices (adat) which are required for day-to day living. From the Principles of the Shari’ah, we know that acts of worship (ibadat) are those acts which have been prescribed by Allah or approved by Him; nothing is to be affirmed here except through the Shari’ah. However, as far as the worldly activities of people are concerned, they are necessary for everyday life. Here the principle is freedom of action; nothing may be restricted in this regard except what Allah has restrictedâŚâ Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Qawa’id al-Nuraniyyah al-Fiqhiyyah, Maktabat al-Sunnah Al-Muhammadiyyah, Cairo, 1951, pp.112.
Elsewhere he says, âThe principle regarding ibadat is that there is no legislating for it except that which God legislated, and the principle regarding adat is that there is no prohibiting it except that which God prohibitedâ Ibn Taimiyyah, Iqtidaâ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim li mukhalafat as-hab al-Jahim, Vol.2, p.86. See also Abu âUmar ibn âAbd al-Barr, Al-Istidhkar, 5:153.
In the view of those who hold this opinion, the Principle of Permissibility and hence of beneficial innovations and creativity, applies only to worldly (dunya), mundane issues (muâamalat) or customary practices (adat). It does not apply to âreligionâ or âdevotional worshipâ (deen) â i.e., ibadat and/or aqidah.