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Imtina' (abstaining from an act)

الامتناع

Imtina' in the lexical sense is refraining from a thing, or being strong and protected by one's people; the technical sense keeps these two. 1 Refraining from what is forbidden is obligatory; refraining from what is obligatory is forbidden; refraining from what is recommended is disliked; refraining from what is disliked is recommended; refraining from what is lawful is lawful. 12

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Prophetic Era
Region
Global / Diaspora
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

Ethics and character

Definition

Imtina' in the lexical sense is refraining from a thing; one may also say of a man that he was strong with his people and could not be overcome. Both senses are kept in the technical use. 1

Ruling

  • Refraining from what is forbidden is obligatory: refraining from fornication or wine, and a menstruating woman's refraining from prayer and from touching the Qur'an. 1
  • Refraining from what is obligatory is forbidden: a fit person who refuses prayer, fasting or pilgrimage, and one who refuses to save a person about to die when he can. 1
  • Refraining from what is recommended is disliked, such as a sick man who refuses treatment when he can take it; refraining from what is disliked is recommended. 1
  • Refraining from what is lawful is lawful, such as a woman refusing to enter until her prompt dower is paid, or a seller refusing delivery until he is paid. 2

People and things also explored

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)· Ada' al-shahada (performing testimony: the duty on request, the excused witness, and the wording)· Manners of the Qur'an bearer· Biting and the liability for injury it causes (add)· Adha (harm of a slight kind: removing harmful things and the duty not to harm)· Justice and grace (adl wal-fadl)· Pardon (afw) in purity, worship, contracts and penalties· Covenant (ahd) and the duty to keep it; oath by the covenant of God

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3379
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3380
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Imtina' (abstaining from an act)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/imtina/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Wing

Ideas

Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words. Related

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)

Paying a debt in the form owed is obligatory by consensus. A debt due now must be paid on demand when the debtor can pay; a deferred debt is not due before its term. Payment is made in like items, with value owed where there is no like; a better payment is allowed when unconditioned. Remission, gift, assignment, set-off and settlement take the place of payment. A solvent debtor who refuses is compelled, imprisoned and his apparent property sold; the majority hold that a bankrupt is put under interdiction and his property divided among creditors, against Abu Hanifa. The insolvent is given respite, and his debt may be paid from zakat if he borrowed for himself in a lawful matter. A dead person's debt attaches to his estate and takes precedence over bequests and inheritance.