The Default Ruling in Acts of Worship and Transactions

The Shaykh:
And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

The presenter:
May Allah greet you, may He bless you, and may He reward you. We ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to benefit us with this meeting.

The questioner:
To begin with, may Allah preserve you. One of the brothers sent this question, saying: We have learned that the default ruling in acts of worship is that they are based on specific textual evidence (taqwiyyah) and are not subject to independent reasoning. So what is the default ruling in transactions?

The Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Yes, the default ruling in acts of worship is that they are based on specific textual evidence; independent reasoning and personal opinions do not enter into them. They are only as prescribed in the texts found in the Book and the Sunnah. As for transactions, the default ruling is permissibility. The default ruling is permissibility, except for what evidence indicates is forbidden. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: . What evidence indicates is forbidden among transactions, such as riba (usury or interest), deception, bribery, and other forbidden things, is prohibited. And what no evidence indicates is forbidden among transactions is permissible. Yes.