Definition
What Allah has forbidden — leaving it is rewarded; doing it is sinful and may be punished. Established by definitive texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Pronunciation: ḥa-RĀM
Etymology & Root
From the root ح-ر-م (ḥ-r-m), meaning 'to prohibit, to make sacred (off-limits).' The same root yields al-Ḥaram — the sacred precinct of Makkah.
Usage in the Qur'an
'Say: My Lord has only forbidden immoralities — what is apparent of them and what is concealed — and sin, oppression without right...' (al-A‘rāf 7:33)
Scholarly Notes
Scholars distinguish ḥarām li-dhātihi (forbidden in itself, e.g. pork) from ḥarām li-ghayrihi (forbidden due to an external factor, e.g. food bought with stolen money).
Practical Application
Do not approach the boundaries of the ḥarām — the Prophet ﷺ said the one who circles a sanctuary is about to fall into it.
Mentioned in articles
Search across the corpus
Related Terms
More from Fiqh Terms
The direction of the Ka‘bah faced in prayer.
Recommended.
Dry purification with clean earth when water is unavailable.
Understanding the rulings of the Sharī‘ah.
The state of consecration entered into for hajj or umrah.
The pre-dawn meal before fasting.