Is everything that harms a human being considered unlawful based on the principle of "no harm and no harming," and does this include minor harms such as fast food?
The "No harm [ḍarar] and no harming [ḍirār]" is a great jurisprudential principle, and it is often mentioned in the context of harming others, even though it also includes harming oneself. There has been a difference of opinion regarding the interpretation of "ḍarar" and "ḍirār". An example of harming oneself is consuming harmful food, which is forbidden in Islamic law due to Allah's saying: "And do not kill yourselves" (Quran 4:29). If significant harm from a particular food is established by the testimony of specialists, then consuming it becomes forbidden, even if it was originally permissible. However, if the harm is not established or is light and tolerable, it remains on its original permissibility and lawfulness. The forbidden harm intended here is evident harm.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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