they need. The basic principle regarding such practices is that they are not prohibited; only what Allah, Glorified and Most High, has prohibited is forbidden. This is because commands and prohibitions belong to Allah’s revealed law, and an act of worship must be something He has commanded. How, then, can something be judged an act of worship when it has not been established that it is commanded? And how can an act of worship be judged prohibited when it has not been established that it is forbidden? This is why Ahmad and other jurists among the scholars of hadith would say:

The basic principle concerning acts of worship is that they require authorization through revelation: none is prescribed except what Allah Most High has prescribed. Otherwise, we would fall within the meaning of His words:

“Or do they have partners who have ordained for them in religion what Allah has not authorized?”

As for customary practices, the basic principle is that they are allowed: only what He has forbidden is prohibited. Otherwise, we would fall within the meaning of His words:

“Say, ‘Have you considered the provision Allah has sent down for you, some of which you have declared unlawful and some lawful?’”

This is why, in Surah al-An‘ām, Allah condemned the polytheists who ordained religious practices He had not authorized and prohibited things He had not forbidden, beginning with His words, Most High:

“They assign to Allah a share of the crops and livestock He has created, saying, ‘This is for Allah’—so they claim—‘and this is for our partners.’ Whatever is for their partners does not reach Allah, while whatever is for Allah reaches their partners. Evil is their judgment!”

“Likewise, their partners have made the killing of their children seem appealing to many of the polytheists, to bring them to ruin and confuse them about their religion. Had Allah willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and what they fabricate.”

“And they say, ‘These livestock and crops are restricted; none may eat of them except those we permit’—so they claim. There are livestock forbidden to be ridden, and livestock over which they do not mention the name of