The Principle of No Harm

The legal maxim 'no harm and no reciprocal harm' guides prevention of wrongful injury. It does not mean every discomfort is forbidden or that a victim may retaliate without limits. Apply the principle alongside evidence and others' rights.

The legal maxim 'no harm and no reciprocal harm' is often quoted in Islamic law. It teaches that wrongful injury should not be caused, and that we should not answer an injury by causing another unlawful injury. But this rule requires careful understanding. It does not mean that every difficult homework task is forbidden because it feels tiring. Nor does it permit people to break another person's property as revenge for a small insult. Scholars use the maxim together with other rulings, looking at the type of harm, the rights involved and the lawful way to stop it. The hadith is transmitted by Ibn Majah and other compilers, and scholars discuss its chains and supporting routes. For a student, the best examples come from daily life: bullying, damage to belongings, and dangerous online messages. A safe response is to stop the wrong where possible, seek help from responsible adults and avoid becoming an aggressor yourself.