What is the origin of the saying: "Wherever the interest lies, there is the law of God," and is it a legislative source or a legal maxim, and does it permit the violation of a religious command?

The well-known saying, "Wherever there is benefit, there is the Law of Allah," indicates that the Sharia came to bring benefits to people. Some ignorant individuals and people of whims, such as secularists, have used this saying to reject sacred texts, claiming they contradict benefit, exploiting it to permit usury and forbidden sales.

The correct understanding is that this phrase should not be taken absolutely. Rather, it is only acceptable in matters where there is no clear and explicit sacred text, which is known as "al-Maslaha al-Mursala" (unrestricted public interest). A condition for acting upon it is that it must not contradict a clear text or a definitive principle; otherwise, it is invalid. Any perceived benefit that clashes with Quranic or prophetic texts is a nullified and illusory benefit, because following the text is obligatory. Therefore, some scholars said: "Wherever the Law of Allah is found, there is benefit."