The rule that says that in principle everything is permissible

Praise
be to Allah

Firstly:

The scholars set a rule that says that in principle
everything is permissible, and they based this rule on shar‘i evidence.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:

It should be understood that in principle all things, of
various types and categories, are generally halaal for human beings, and
that they are taahir (pure) and it is not forbidden for people to handle
them and touch them. This is a comprehensive rule that is general in
application, and it is an important ruling that is of immense benefit and
brings much blessing, and the scholars turned to it when issuing ruling on
innumerable actions and issues faced by people. It is based on by ten points
of evidence – from what I can call to mind of sources of sharee‘ah – namely:
the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, and following the path of
the believers that is mentioned in the verses (interpretation of the
meaning): “Obey
Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him)), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority”
[an-Nisa’ 4:59] and
“Verily, your Walee (Protector or Helper) is Allah, His Messenger, and the
believers” [al-Maa’idah 5:55]; in addition to qiyaas (analogy),
consideration, rational thinking, and insight.

End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (21/535)

Then he (may Allah have mercy on him) quoted the evidence for
that, so please refer to the book mentioned above.

What this ruling means is that with regard to everything that
is of benefit on earth, and what man may attain thereof, making use of it is
permissible, so long as there is no evidence to indicate that it is
prohibited.

Secondly:

With regard to food, drink, clothing and soap (and cleaning
materials), this rule is to be followed with regard to everything concerning
which there is no shar‘i text, with the exception of the following:

-1-

Things containing any considerably harmful ingredients,
because the basic principle with regard to harmful substances is that they
are prohibited, and they are not included in the rule that in principle
everything is permissible.

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“and do not
throw yourselves into destruction”

[al-Baqarah 2:195]

“And do not
kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to
you”

[an-Nisa’ 4:29].

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (may Allah have
mercy on him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” Narrated by
al-Haakim (2/57-58). He said: Its isnaad is saheeh according to the
conditions of Muslim. It was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (1/498)

The mufassir Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (may
Allah have mercy on him) discussed this issue and said:

If it is purely harmful with no benefit at all, then it is
haraam, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”

If it is beneficial in some ways and harmful in others, then
one of three scenarios must apply:

1.    

Either the benefit outweighs the harm

2.    

or the converse is true

3.    

or the benefit and harm are equal.

If the harm outweighs the benefit or is equal to it, then it
is not allowed, because of the hadith, “There should be neither harming nor
reciprocating harm,” and because warding off harm takes precedence over
achieving interests.

If the benefit outweighs the harm, then the most correct view
is that it is permissible, because it is a well-established principle that
greater benefits take precedence over lesser harms.

End quote from Adwa’ al-Bayaan (7/793-794)

-2-

The basic principle with regard to meat is that it is
prohibited.

That is because it is not permissible to eat meat unless it
is slaughtered in the proper manner, fulfilling all the necessary
conditions.

Al-Khattaabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

With regard to anything that is haraam in principle, it only
becomes permissible if it fulfils the necessary conditions and is done in
the proper manner, such as intimate relationships, which do not become
permissible until after marriage. Similarly, the meat of sheep does not
become permissible unless it is slaughtered in the proper manner. If there
is any doubt concerning the fulfilment of these conditions, and whether they
were met for certain in the manner that indicates that it has become
permissible, then the original principle remains in effect and the meat is
prohibited.

End quote from Ma‘aalim as-Sunan (3/57)

But in order to prove that it is permissible, it is
sufficient to know that the one who slaughtered it was a Muslim or one of
the People of the Book (a Jew or Christian). After that it is not necessary
to ascertain the method of slaughter for each animal, as has been explained
previously in fatwa no. 223005.

Based on that, with regard to meat that is available in a
Muslim or Christian country, it is deemed to be permissible, unless it is
proven in our view that it was slaughtered by a method that is contrary to
Islamic rulings, such as strangling or electric shock, or that the name of
Allah was not mentioned over it, and so on.

With regard to products for which there is no shar‘i evidence
that they are prohibited, or the list of ingredients does not include any
components that are prohibited or are harmful, then we rule that it is
permissible and pure, and that basic principle is not altered for mere
doubts or unproven talk.

But if prohibited ingredients are included in some food, is
it prohibited to consume it altogether? This is subject to further detailed
discussion, as has been explained in fatwa no. 114129.

To sum up: if the prohibited substance is still present in
its original form, then it is haraam to consume it.

But if it has been transformed into another substance by
means of interactions or manufacturing processes, and the first prohibited
substance is no longer present in its original form, then the more correct
scholarly view is that it is permissible to consume it.

Thirdly:

With regard to clothing, it comes under the rule that in
principle everything is permissible. The basic principle concerning it is
that it is permissible, except what is excluded by Islamic rulings, such as
silk which is prohibited for men, and some animal skins that cannot be
purified by means of tanning. That has been explained previously in fatwa
no. 221753. 

And Allah knows best.