The categories of Islamic rulings, and Din
The eight categories Islamic rulings fall into, from fard to mubah, and how belief (iman) and practice (Islam) together make up Din.
Islam has rules about the things we do. Each rule fits into one of eight categories, called levels.
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| Fard (Obligatory) | You must do it. Skipping it without a real reason is a serious sin. |
| Wajib (Necessary) | Important to do, but not held to as strictly as Fard. |
| Sunnah (Recommended) | Something the Prophet ﷺ did. Doing it brings reward, but skipping it is not a sin. |
| Mustahabb (Preferred) | A good act that earns reward, but you don't have to do it. |
| Halal (Permissible) | Something you are allowed to do. |
| Haram (Forbidden) | Something you must never do. Doing it without a valid excuse is a major sin. |
| Makruh (Disliked) | Something not encouraged, but not sinful either. |
| Mubah (Neutral) | Something you get no reward or blame for, either way. |
Islam has rules relating to our actions, and these fall into the following categories.
| Category | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fard (Obligatory) | Actions that are mandatory; ignoring them without a valid reason is a serious sin. |
| Wajib (Necessary) | Actions that are important but not held to as strictly as Fard. |
| Sunnah (Recommended) | Actions the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ practiced; doing them brings reward, but ignoring them isn't a sin. |
| Mustahabb (Preferred) | Good actions that earn reward but are not compulsory. |
| Halal (Permissible) | Things that are allowed to do. |
| Haram (Forbidden) | Actions that are strictly prohibited; doing these without a valid excuse is a major sin. |
| Makruh (Disliked) | Actions that are not encouraged but aren't sinful. |
| Mubah (Neutral) | Actions that are neither rewarded nor punished. |
The rulings (aḥkām) of the Sharīʿah governing human acts fall into the following eight categories, as given here.
| Category | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Farḍ (Obligatory) | Mandatory acts; their omission without a valid excuse is a major sin. |
| Wājib (Necessary) | Important acts, though not held to with the same strictness as farḍ. |
| Sunnah (Recommended) | The established practice of the Prophet ﷺ; performed for reward, but their omission is not sinful. |
| Mustaḥabb (Preferred) | Good acts that earn reward without being compulsory. |
| Ḥalāl (Permissible) | Acts that are lawful to perform. |
| Ḥarām (Forbidden) | Acts strictly prohibited; committing them without valid excuse is a major sin. |
| Makrūh (Disliked) | Acts that are discouraged but not sinful. |
| Mubāḥ (Neutral) | Acts carrying neither reward nor blame. |
Terms on this page
Related
- Belief in destiny (Qadr) The sixth article of faith: that Allah has written all that happens, while people still choose and are answerable for their own actions.
- Kufr, shirk, and treating a sin as permitted What counts as disbelief or associating partners with Allah, the two kinds of sin, and the three steps of repentance.
- Islam and its five pillars What Islam means, and the five pillars its practice is built on: the declaration of faith, prayer, fasting, zakat, and Hajj.
- Saints, jinn, and further matters of belief Wilayah and karamat, seeking wasilah, why no one is exempt from Shariah, the jinn, why we exist, and following a madhhab and a Sufi teacher.