An Arabic term that translates as permissible or allowable or optional without any corresponding outcomes, thawab or iqab, desirable/ undesirable or pleasant/ unpleasant repercussions, under shari’ah. Mubah is whatever is left for the discretion/ preference of a Muslim person, without any imposition or restriction by shari’ah. Permissible (mubahah) acts are countless and innumerable: the essence in muamalat is permissibility (al-ibahah) according to the shari’ah maxim (all contracts and transactions are permissible, unless there is “substantiated” evidence indicating otherwise).
Examples of al-mubah include the determination of profit-sharing percentages in mudarabah transactions at the discretion of the two parties (while for losses, only rab al-mal bears all potential losses if occurred unless in very specific cases- negligence by mudarib, etc.).
