"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited the price of a dog, the earnings of the fornicator (from harlotry), and the news of the fortune-teller."
This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.
The Book on Business - Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Hadith Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1276
Prohibition of Three Types of Transactions
The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly forbade three categories of earnings: the price of dogs, earnings from prostitution, and payment for fortune-telling. These prohibitions stem from fundamental Islamic principles regarding purity, morality, and creed.
Commentary on the Price of Dogs
Scholars explain that selling dogs is prohibited except for specific beneficial purposes such as hunting, guarding livestock, or agriculture. The general prohibition is due to the impurity associated with dogs and to prevent keeping them without legitimate need, which involves unnecessary expense and distraction from beneficial pursuits.
Commentary on Earnings from Fornication
This prohibition encompasses all income derived from unlawful sexual relations, including prostitution and any form of zinā. Such earnings are considered impure (khabīth) as they result from violating Allah's boundaries. This ruling reinforces the Islamic position that means must be lawful, not merely ends.
Commentary on Fortune-teller's Fee
Payment for fortune-telling or soothsaying is forbidden because it constitutes earning through falsehood and deception. Furthermore, it involves matters of ghayb (the unseen) which only Allah knows, thus leading to shirk (associating partners with Allah) and corrupting creed.
Legal Implications
These prohibited earnings carry no legal protection in Islamic law. Contracts involving them are invalid, and money obtained through these means should not be utilized but rather disposed of or given in charity without seeking reward, according to some scholarly opinions.
Authenticity Assessment
Imam at-Tirmidhi graded this hadith as "Hasan Sahih," meaning it is sound and authentic through multiple chains of transmission, making it suitable as evidence in Islamic jurisprudence.