[6][7] Views of different madhhabs or legal schools of thought can vary significantly regarding what is or is not haram based on the scholarly interpretation of the core religious texts (Quran and hadith).
[10] The five categories of الأحكام الخمسة, al-ʾAḥkām al-Ḵamsa or the hierarchy of acts from permitted to non-permitted are:[4][11] The two types of haram are: The religious term haram, based on the Quran, is applied to: Linguistically, the root of the term haram (compare Ancient Hebrew herem, meaning 'devoted to God', 'forbidden for profane use') is used to form a wide range of other terms that have legal implications, such as hariim (a harem) and ihraam (a state of purity).
In addition, the same word (haram) is used in the Quran to denote the sacred nature of the Ka'ba and the areas of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem.
[14] As such, the legal use of the root ح-ر-م is based on an idea of boundaries between the profane and the sacred, as opposed to prohibitions, as is normally assumed.
Colloquially, the word haram takes on different meanings and operates more closely as a dichotomy with halal, which denotes the permissible.
The term can be used formally as a method for chastising strangers who behave inappropriately, or between friends as a form of teasing.
[16] In the Quran and reports by early Muslims, forbidden meat includes pork, carnivores (lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, cats, etc.
[17] Islam is very strict in prohibiting zina, whether it be adultery or sexual intercourse between two unmarried individuals.
[21][22] All business and trade practices that do not result in a free and fair exchange of goods and services are considered haram, such as bribery, stealing, and gambling.
[21][23] Many Islamic jurists and religious bodies, including Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta[24] of Saudi Arabia, have considered MLM trade to be haram, the reasons behind which are as follows: in this process, followings are related – exchange without labor and labor without exchange, contract on another contract or condition on another condition, similarity with riba (interest), similarity with gambling, widespread uncertainty of profits and losses, not everyone benefiting equally, financial fraud and torture, lying and exaggeration, etc.
In some Sunni sects, there are physical alterations that are considered haram such as tattoos, shortening of teeth, cosmetic surgery, etc.
[28] Some Islamic sects also prohibit the use of gold and silver utensils and pure silk spreads in the household in order to avoid luxurious lifestyles in the home.