"O Prophet Why Do You Forbid What Allah Has Made Lawful" — The Story of Self-Prohibition
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Level: advanced
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يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكَ
— التحريم 1
Verse: "O Prophet, why do you forbid what Allah has made lawful for you?" (66:1)
Occasion (Agreed upon): Aisha and Ibn Abbas narrated with differences in detail — the Prophet ﷺ either vowed not to drink honey again after drinking it at a wife's home, or forbade himself his concubine to please his wives. The verse was revealed reproaching him and clarifying that neither he nor anyone may permit or prohibit without Allah's sanction.
Doctrinal lesson: The right to legislate belongs to Allah alone — even the Prophet was gently rebuked for self-prohibition.
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari (5267); Sahih Muslim (1474); Lubab Al-Nuqul
Question: What is the major doctrinal lesson this verse teaches about the right to legislate?
Answer: Legislation belongs to Allah alone — forbidding the lawful or permitting the forbidden without Allah's sanction is prohibited even for prophets.