Prohibition

Definition:
Prohibition is a statement that, from a position of authority, demands abstention and is articulated in a particular form: the imperfect verb coupled with the prohibitive particle lā—such as in the Almighty’s words, “And do not follow the desires of those who deny Our signs and those who do not believe in the Hereafter” (al-Anʿām 6:150).

By saying “a statement,” we exclude gesture, for a gesture is not called a prohibition even if it conveys the same sense.

By saying “a demand to abstain,” we exclude a command, because that is a demand to act.

By saying “from a position of authority,” we exclude entreaty, supplication, and similar forms whose prohibitory sense is derived only from contextual clues.

By saying “in a particular form …,” we exclude expressions that demand abstention through an imperative such as “leave,” “abandon,” “desist,” and the like; although these terms require refraining, they are couched in the imperative and therefore belong to the category of command, not prohibition.

A demand to abstain can also be understood without this specific prohibitive form—for example, by describing the act as forbidden, unlawful, or heinous; by censuring its doer; or by attaching a punishment to its commission, and so forth. (1)