The means to Haram (unlawful) are forbidden if they most likely lead to Haram. But if there is a doubt that a means might lead to Haram, then this means will not be forbidden.

The evidence of this article is reflected in Allah’s (swt) saying

“And do not revile those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge.” (TMQ 6:108). Insulting the disbelievers is permissible and Allah (swt) has insulted them in the Quran. However, if this insult were to lead the disbelievers to most probably insult Allah (swt), it would become prohibited. This is because insulting Allah (swt) is not permittedm and it is prohibited in the sternest fashion. This is how the Shari’ah principle, “the means to something forbidden is also forbidden”, has been deduced. However, the means becomes prohibited if it would most likely lead to something prohibited, since the prohibition of insulting their idols was because it was the cause which would lead to the insulting of Allah (swt) – as demonstrated by the use of the letter “fa” (lest) of causality in the verse, and if it was not most likely that Allah (swt) will be insulted because of insulting their idols, like the most likely probability (ghalabat Al-dhann) required in any Shari’ah rule, then the “fa” which indicates causality would not have been used to indicate the prohibition. Therefore, if the means were not considered in the most likely probability to lead to Haram but it was merely feared that it may lead to Haram, such as a woman going out without a face cover, where it is feared that it might cause Fitnah, the means in this case would not be Haram, because the mere fear that it might lead to Haram is not sufficient to warrant a prohibition. On top of that, the Fitnah with respect to itself is not prohibited upon the woman herself. This is the evidence of this article.