Item 5 in Five Essentials of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa

Preservation of property

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure.

Position
5
Form
Mixed formulation
Obligation
Context-dependent
Wording status
Translation
Intended audience
Jurists, scholars and communities reasoning about the purposes of Islamic law
Last reviewed
28 June 2027

Names and terminology

Canonical name: Ḥifẓ al-māl

Original term: Ḥifẓ al-māl

Transliteration: Ḥifẓ al-māl

Source wording

<p>Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>

Translation

Literal meaning

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure.

Broader interpretation

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure.

Historical context

This principle belongs to Five Essentials of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa and must be read within that framework's setting.

Practical meaning

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure.

Ethical purpose

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure.

Exceptions and disputes

The framework is a juristic synthesis, not a single Qur'anic list, and applications differ significantly.

Variations across schools or traditions

Some formulations add honour or dignity, while contemporary scholars debate freedom, justice, environment and rights as independent objectives.

Modern application

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure. Modern application should consider consent, evidence, proportionality, power and consequences.

Criticism and difficult cases

The framework is a juristic synthesis, not a single Qur'anic list, and applications differ significantly.

Truth By Reason analysis

Protect legitimate property and livelihood against theft, fraud and arbitrary seizure. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.

Ethical themes

  • Property
  • Justice

Sources