Surah al-A‘rāf (The Heights)

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

[Surah al-A‘rāf (7): Verse 32]
“Say, ‘Who has forbidden the adornment Allah has brought forth for His servants, and the good things He has provided?’ Say, ‘They are for those who believe in this worldly life, and exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus We explain the verses in detail for people who know.” (32)

This demonstrates that these acts are inherently indecent and that reason does not regard them as good. Their prohibition therefore rests upon their indecency. For basing a ruling on an appropriate attribute expressed by a derivative term indicates that this attribute is the cause necessitating that ruling. This reasoning applies to all the verses we have mentioned: they indicate that He prohibited these acts because they are indecent, prohibited what is vile because it is vile, and commanded what is right because it is right.

The cause must be distinct from its effect. If being indecent meant being forbidden, and being vile meant being unlawful, the cause would be identical to its effect. This is impossible, so reflect upon it. Likewise, the prohibition of sin and transgression demonstrates that this characterization holds prior to their prohibition.