Usul al-Fiqh

04

Commands and prohibitions

الأمر والنهي

Most of the Law is an amr (do) or a nahy (do not). The default of an unqualified amr, in the four schools, is obligation. The default of an unqualified nahy is prohibition. Context can turn an amr into a recommendation — “and marry the single among you” — and a nahy into dislike. That turn needs a dalil, not a feeling.

  1. الأمر للوجوب

    Amr means wujub

    “Establish the prayer.” The four take this as fard unless another text shows it is sunnah.

  2. النهي للتحريم

    Nahy means tahrim

    “Do not come near zina.” Unqualified nahy is haram.

  3. الفورية

    Immediacy

    Does “do” mean now, or whenever in the time? Schools split on some worships (when a missed fast is made up).

  4. التكرار

    Repetition

    Does one amr require one act or every time the cause returns? “Establish the prayer” returns with every time.

Worked example

A command after a ban

When a nahy is lifted and an amr follows, the amr often returns the act to what it was before — ibahah, not a new fard. “When you have left ihram, then hunt” does not make hunting fard. This is a famous usul discussion, not a hunting licence from Nur.

If a verse looks like a command and a hadith makes it sunnah, the hadith is the context. That is how the two Eid prayers and witr are weighed, school by school.