Al-halal
Definition of "Al-halal"
Lit: Permissible. Tech: Things or activities permitted by the shari‘ah. The concept of al-halal has spiritual overtones. There are activities, professions, contracts and transactions that have been explicitly prohibited (al-haram) by the Qur’an or the sunnah of the Prophet. Barring them (i.e. al-haram), all other activities, professions, transactions, etc., are al-halal (permissible). This is one of the distinctive features of the Islamic economics vis-à-vis traditional economics where no such concept exists. In conventional economics, all activities are judged on the touchstone of economic utility. In Islamic economics, other factors, mostly moral and spiritual, are also considered for evaluating the utility. An activity may be economically sound, but may not be allowed in the Islamic society if it is not permitted by the shari‘ah.