There are five types of Al-Hukm Ash-Shar’iy Al-Wad’iy and they are:

1 – As-Sabab (the cause)

2 – Ash-Shart (the condition)

3 – Al-Maani’ (the preventer)

4 – As-Sihhah, Al-Butlaan and Al-Fasaad (Correctness/validity, invalidity and corruption).

5 – Ar-Rukhsah (permission) and Al-‘Azeemah

Some of the ‘Ulamaa have made them into only three types: The Sabab, Shart and Maani’. Others made them into four adding the Sihhah, Butlaan and Fasaad to the above three whilst others still have made it five types like that which is presented above with the inclusion of the Rukhsah and the ‘Azeemah.

That is because the Fuqahaa differed in respect to these last two types: The Sihhah, Butlaan and Fasaad, and the Rukhsah and ‘Azeemah. Some of them considered these to be from the category of the Hukm At-Takleefiy whilst others viewed them to be from the Hukm Al-Wad’iy category. The closest to what is correct is that they are from the Hukm Al-Wad’iy because they represent a Wasf (description) of the Hukm At-Takleefiy whilst they are not a type from amongst its five types: Al-Waajib, Al-Mandoob, Al-Haraam, Al-Makrooh and Al-Mubaah. So when we say, for instance, that such and such a contract is Saheeh, Baatil or Faasid it represents a description (Wasf) for the Hukm At-Takleefiy and not a Hukm Takleefiy itself because the Hukm At-Takleefiy for the contract could be Waajib, Haraam, Mandoob or other than that.

Similarly, when we describe the Hukm in respect to it being a Rukhsah or an ‘Azeemah, this description is not the Hukm At-Takleefiy i.e. obligation, recommendation, prohibition, dislike or and permissibility. So for example, the Sawm (fasting) of Ramadhaan is Waajib (obligatory) but it is also an ‘Azeemah whilst the breaking of fast undertaken by the sick person in Ramadhaan is Mubaah and it is a Rukhsah (permission). Therefore, the description of the Rukhsah or ‘Azeemah represents a description of the Hukm At-Takleefiy and not a Shar’iy description for the action of the Insaan (person) (itself).

For that reason, each of the Sihhah, Butlaan and Fasaad in addition to the Rukhsah and the ‘Azeemah are considered to represent a Hukm from amongst the types of the Hukm Al-Wad’iy and are not considered to be from the types of the Hukm At-Takleefiy. Based on that the kinds of the Hukm Al-Wad’iy number five: As-Sabab. Ash-Shart, Al-Maani, As-Sihhah, Al-Butlaan and Al-Fasaad, and Ar-Rukhsah and Al-‘Azeemah. The following is an explanation of each of these kinds: