and the Quran, hadith, jurisprudence, and the like, or in worship or jihad in Allah’s cause—fall into three categories:

The first:
An act through which one draws near to Allah Most High: namely, obligatory and recommended deeds which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, encouraged and urged people to perform. Such a condition must be fulfilled, and entitlement to benefit from the endowment depends upon its fulfilment in general.

The second:
An act which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade, either as unlawful or as discouraged without being unlawful. Stipulating such an act is invalid by agreement of the scholars, for it is widely reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, addressed the people from his pulpit, saying:

“What is the matter with people who stipulate conditions that are not in Allah’s Book? Whoever stipulates a condition that is not in Allah’s Book, it is invalid, even if there are a hundred conditions. Allah’s Book has greater authority, and Allah’s condition is more binding.”

Although this hadith was occasioned by a stipulation assigning the rights of patronage arising from emancipation to someone other than the emancipator, what counts, according to the general body of scholars, is the general wording, not the particular occasion. There is scholarly consensus on applying this principle to this hadith. Any condition that necessarily entails something the Lawgiver has forbidden is treated like the forbidden act itself. Likewise, whatever is known from evidence in Islamic law to have been forbidden is treated like that which he is known to have expressly forbidden.

Scholars may, however, differ in their independent judgments concerning certain acts: do they fall within the category of what is forbidden? Their judgments concerning the condition will consequently differ on this basis. Such differences are inevitable within the Muslim community.