Living The Quran
From Issue: 955 [Read full issue]
Lie on Allah
Yunus (Jonah) Sura 10: Verse 59
"Say, 'Have you considered what Allah has sent down for you as providence? Of it you treat some as unlawful and some as lawful.' Ask, 'Is it Allah who has allowed you do to that, or do you fasten (a lie) on Allah.?'"
The reference of course is to the pagan practice (continued down this age, even by Muslims) of arbitrarily declaring Allah's lawful as unlawful and His unlawful as lawful. Zamakhshari warns: The verse conceals a strong warning to those who are used to arbitrarily declaring this or that lawful or unlawful. Such declarations should only be made when they can be backed by a clear evidence. When one hasn't got them, let him hold his peace. Otherwise he will be fastening a lie on Allah.
Hence, we see that, according to the Hanafi scholars, an unequivocal textual commandment is required to declare a thing unlawful. Thanwi adds that this verse refutes those who, for ascetic reasons, treat some of Allah's bounties as unlawful to themselves. All that can be allowed is that there is no harm if it is temporarily resorted to, (as a cure for certain base desires or traits, or a firmer control over one's self).
Compiled From:
"Ishraq Al-Ma'ani" - Syed Iqbal Zaheer, p. 197