The Fundamental Difference Between Committing a Sin and Deeming Prohibitions Lawful

There is a fundamental and methodological difference in Islamic Sharia between committing a prohibited act and claiming its permissibility; this distinction represents the cornerstone in understanding issues of faith (Iman) and disbelief (Kufr), which a Muslim must clearly perceive in light of contemporary waves of skepticism.

Models of Attempts to Alter Rulings

We note recently attempts to legitimize behavioral deviations under the guise of interpretation or modernization, including:

• Attempts by some to market homosexuality as something acceptable in Islam; this is not merely a sin, but rather 'Istihlal' (deeming lawful) of what Allah has explicitly forbidden.

• Calls by some, such as Muhammad Shahrour, claiming that consensual fornication (Zina) is not prohibited in certain cases, a path that leads to changing the features of religion to suit ideological whims.

• Rejecting authentic prophetic texts (Hadith) simply because they oppose certain intellectual trends such as radical feminism, which transforms a behavioral sin into a rejection of Revelation.

The Disciplined Sharia Rule

The Sharia rule in this chapter can be summarized in two decisive points:

• Whoever commits a major sin (such as Zina) while acknowledging its prohibition and knowing they are wrong, is a disobedient Muslim, and their matter is with Allah; if He wills, He punishes them, and if He wills, He forgives them.

• As for whoever claims that Zina, homosexuality, or cohabitation are 'Halal' and permissible acts, they have fallen into Istihlal, which is an alteration of the Word of Allah and a legalization of what He forbade, thereby exiting the fold of Islam.

The difference between a sin and changing the Sharia of Allah to suit personal temperament is the difference between disobedience and disbelief, a matter perceived by sound intellect before explicit scripture.