Like any other religion, Islam establishes prohibitions in order to maintain balance within society. These are imposed by the Holy Quran, as a code of conduct. If you already know what Haram means, discover in this guide what is Haram in Islam.

What are the prohibitions in Islam?

The word Haram means: forbidden, illicit, inviolable, sacred and holy in Islam. It has two meanings in Arabic, in other words: forbidden or sacred. These prohibitions are divided into two levels:

• Illicit and forbidden actions which are the opposite of lawful or Halal actions
• As well as sacred spaces closed to some.

In the Islamic religion, the Holy Quran mentions prohibitions and illicit actions, whether in terms of food, clothing, behavior, sexuality, etc. These are imposed by Allah or by tradition:

Code of Conduct

In the Surah, here is the number of prohibitions listed:

“Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you: associate nothing with Him, be kind to your parents. Do not kill your children out of fear of poverty. Do not commit indecencies, open or hidden. Never unjustly kill a life Allah has made sacred. This is what Allah has enjoined upon you. Adorn the orphan with fair dealings, until reaching maturity. Give full measure and full weight, with justice. No soul shall be burdened beyond its capacity. When you speak, be just, even if a near relative is concerned. Fulfill your covenant with Allah. That is what He has enjoined upon you.” Surah 6/v. 151-152.

Alcohol

Although it is tolerated in some passages of the Quran, wine and alcohol are strongly forbidden in Surah 5:

“O you who believe! Wine, gambling, idolatrous practices, and divining arrows are abominations devised by Satan. Avoid them.”

Pork

Pork is strictly forbidden in Islam. Indeed, those who obey Allah must not eat animals that die of disease, old age, pork, or blood. Blood is also forbidden in Islam.

Corruption

It is also worth noting that illegitimate gain is strongly forbidden by the Quran.

Theft

Theft is considered a universal sin, and therefore is forbidden in Islam.

Fornication and adultery

The sin of the flesh is also forbidden in Islam as stated in Surah 32/v.32:

Avoid fornication: it is an abomination! What a vile path.

In short, these are some examples of what is considered haram by Muslims. There are certainly other prohibitions following Islamic principles, as mentioned in this article, but these few points summarize pretty much everything that is haram.