Istibrāʾ
Definition
Istibra is the process of verifying or clearing a matter of doubt about its lawfulness — asking questions, seeking information, consulting scholars, or waiting until the situation becomes clear before consuming or participating in something whose status is uncertain. Al-Ghazali recommends istibra as the first response to shubha: rather than consuming in doubt or avoiding categorically, the Muslim should investigate until the doubt is resolved. This active effort to clarify what is lawful is itself a form of wara' — the willingness to put in the work to ensure that what enters one's life and heart is clean.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
1 book in the library
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