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Revelation
إباحة (ibāḥah) is an Arabic noun meaning 'permissibility,' 'allowance,' or 'revelation/disclosure.' In Islamic jurisprudence, it refers to something being permissible or lawful (ḥalāl) under Islamic law. The word can also mean the act of revealing, disclosing, or making something publicly known.
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أعلنت الحكومة إباحة استيراد المنتجات الزراعية من الدول المجاورة.
A'lanat al-ḥukūmah ibāḥat istiyrād al-muntajāt az-zirā'īyah min ad-duwal al-mujāwarah.
The government announced the permissibility of importing agricultural products from neighboring countries.
في الإسلام، إباحة شيء ما تعني أنه حلال وليس محرماً.
Fī al-islām, ibāḥat shay' mā ta'nī annahu ḥalāl wa laysa muḥarramān.
In Islam, the permissibility of something means it is lawful and not forbidden.
تمت إباحة هذه المعلومات السرية للجمهور بعد مرور خمسين سنة.
Tamat ibāḥat hādhih al-ma'lūmāt as-sirrīyah lil-jumhūr ba'da murūr khamsīn sanah.
These classified documents were revealed to the public after fifty years had passed.
طلب العلماء إعادة النظر في إباحة بعض الممارسات التقليدية.
Ṭalab al-'ulamā' i'ādat an-naẓar fī ibāḥat ba'ḍ al-mumārasāt at-taqlīdīyah.
Scholars requested reconsideration of the permissibility of certain traditional practices.
لا يوجد إباحة للعنف في أي ظرف من الظروف.
Lā yūjad ibāḥah lil-'unf fī ayy ẓarf min aẓ-ẓurūf.
There is no allowance for violence under any circumstances.
In Islamic jurisprudence, the concept of إباحة is fundamental to understanding Islamic law and what actions are permissible versus forbidden. Muslim jurists frequently discuss the permissibility (إباحة) of various practices based on Quranic principles and Prophetic tradition. The term is also used in modern Arabic in legal and administrative contexts to refer to official authorization or disclosure of information by government authorities.
Remember that إباحة carries two primary meanings: in Islamic legal contexts, it refers to something being permitted or lawful under Islamic law, while in general usage it can mean disclosure or revelation of information. When discussing Islamic jurisprudence, إباحة is often contrasted with التحريم (prohibition). In contemporary Arabic, you may encounter this term in legal documents, religious discussions, or news about government policy changes.
The Arabic word إباحة (ibāḥah) is a feminine noun derived from the root ب-ي-ح (b-y-ḥ) that carries two primary meanings in contemporary and classical Arabic. The most prominent meaning in Islamic jurisprudence and legal contexts is "permissibility" or "allowance"—referring to something that is lawful, permitted, or halal under Islamic law. The second meaning refers to "revelation," "disclosure," or "making something publicly known."
In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), the concept of إباحة is one of the five categories of actions under Islamic law. These five categories are:
The state of something being مباح (permissible) is known as إباحة. When an Islamic scholar declares something to be مباح, they are issuing a ruling (fatwa) of إباحة regarding that matter. This could concern anything from food and drink to business transactions, daily activities, and social practices.
Beyond religious contexts, إباحة appears frequently in modern Standard Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic/MSA) legal documents, government announcements, and news reports. When governments announce new policies permitting certain activities or releasing previously classified information, they use the verb أباح (abāḥa) or the noun إباحة. For example, a government might announce "إباحة استيراد السلع" (permissibility of importing goods) as part of trade policy reforms.
The word إباحة is a feminine noun in Arabic. It follows the pattern إفعالة (i-f'ālah), which is a common nominal pattern for abstract nouns in Arabic. Related words include:
The concept of إباحة represents a balanced approach in Islamic law. Rather than classifying everything as either strictly forbidden or strictly obligatory, Islamic jurisprudence recognizes a vast middle ground of permissible actions. This flexibility allows Muslims to engage with their daily lives while maintaining religious principles. The principle of إباحة supports the Islamic maxim "the original state of things is permissibility" (الأصل في الأشياء الإباحة), meaning that unless something is explicitly forbidden by Islamic sources, it is considered permissible.
You will encounter إباحة in several contexts:
Understanding إباحة requires familiarity with contrasting concepts. While إباحة represents permissibility, التحريم (taḥrīm) represents prohibition or forbidding. Between these two poles lie other categories of Islamic legal rulings that nuance how Muslims understand their obligations and freedoms.
When learning to use إباحة, remember that it functions as an abstract noun describing a state or condition of permissibility. You would say "إباحة البيع" (permissibility of sale) rather than simply "sale." In context, native speakers might use the related adjective "مباح" more frequently in everyday speech, reserving the noun form "إباحة" for more formal or technical discussions. Pay attention to how the word appears in Islamic legal texts, government announcements, and formal Arabic media to internalize its proper usage.