What are the harms for which the performance of recommended practices is left off?

The questioner : The questioner asks: What is the criterion for the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for which some recommended practices are left off?

The Shaykh : An adventure, what?

The questioner : What is the criterion for the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for which some recommended practices are left off?

The Shaykh : Yes, it is well known that the Islamic religion came to realize benefits. And it came to reduce harms; realizing benefits and reducing harms.
And if benefits and harms coincide in a specific issue, which do we prioritize? Do we prioritize averting harms or realizing benefits? No, there is a distinction. If the harm is slight compared to the benefits, being submerged in the benefits, then the benefits are prioritized. If the harm is greater than the benefit, then averting the harm is prioritized. If the two are equal, then averting the harm is prioritized, because in this third case, averting the harm ensures safety. So the result is that if...
Can we say there are five categories: pure benefit, pure harm, predominant benefit, predominant harm, and benefit and harm with no predominance between them? Or not? All things do not exceed these five categories.
Predominant benefit means there is no harm in it, so this is acted upon. Pure harm means there is no benefit at all, so this is left off. Predominant benefit, and there is harm in it, but the benefit is predominant. What is prioritized? The benefit. Predominant harm, and there is benefit in it, but the harm is greater. Averting the harm. Benefit and harm are equal. So averting the harm is acted upon and the benefit is left off. Why? Because that is safer, since the one who commits what is in this state may find that the harm prevails, and leaving off the benefit does no harm. For example, if a greater fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) is feared than the benefit, then the benefit is left off. Among this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he conquered Makkah, intended to demolish the Ka'bah and rebuild it on the foundations of Ibrahim (Abraham). Because when Quraysh intended to renovate the Ka'bah, their funds were insufficient, so they did not build it on the foundations of Ibrahim. They took a side of it, which is the northern side, and enclosed it but did not build it. But the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) If the Ka'bah had been built with faith, it would have been built on the foundations of Ibrahim, and I would have made for it two doors: a door for people to enter through, and a door for them to exit through. But if I did that and the people were recently converted from disbelief, it might be a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for some of them. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left off this benefit because the harm arising from it was greater than it. So the criterion is that a person looks at what results from this benefit. If the benefit is slight compared to the expected harm, let him avoid it. And if the harm is slight compared to the benefit...