In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
All Muslims believe
that intoxication is forbidden in Islam and try to keep away from
them. However, some people express their doubts about their being
forbidden. They ask a tricky question by playing with the Arabic
word “HARAM” which means FORBIDDEN. They challenge us to show
a single verse-AYAH in the Qur’an which says that wine is Haram
(forbidden) for the Muslims. They make this demand only after
ascertaining and satisfying themselves that there is no verse in
the Qur’an which forbids the use of liquor using the word “HARAM”.
They wrongly assume that to forbid Muslims from doing something,
it is necessary to use the term “HARAM” expressly. They ignore
the fact that anything can be forbidden by God by using the other
words by simply ordering Muslims to “Give-up” or to
“Keep-away” from something. Read the verses below and decide
for yourself if God has forbidden the use of intoxicants!
| “They
ask thee about intoxicants and game of chance. Say: In both
of them is a great sin and (some) advantage for men, and
their sin is greater than their advantage.”
(Al-Baqarah-219) |
“O
you, who believe, go not near prayer when you are
intoxicated till you know what you say.”
(An-Nisa/43).
|
“O
you, who believe, intoxicants and game of chance and
(sacrificing) to stones set-up and (dividing by) arrows are
only uncleanness, the Devils work; so shun it that you may
succeed.”
(Al-Mayeda/90).
|
| “The
Devil desires only to create enmity and hatred among you by
means of intoxicants and games of means of chance and to
keep you back from the remembrance of Allah and from
prayers. Will you then keep back?”
(Al-Mayeda/91). |
Hadith or Traditions:
1.Ibn Majah reported from Abu HurairahRZ that the
Prophet of GodSAS said:
|
“An
addict of intoxication is like a worshipper of an idol.” |
2. And the
ProphetSAS said:
|
“One
who drinks intoxicants, the light of faith goes out from his
inside.” |
3. Abu Da’ud,
Tirmizi, Ibn Majah and Byhaqi narrated that the Prophet of GodSAS
said that-
| Whatever
intoxicates in large quantity, its’ small quantity too is
HARAM. Note that the Prophet has used the word
Haram- Forbidden here. |
4. Ibn Majah and
Tirmizi reported that it is narrated by Anas Ibn MalikRZ
that the Messenger of GodSAS cursed ten persons in the
chain –starting from those who extract the liquor and ending on
those who consume liquor.
5. Muslim reports that when someone told the Prophet of AllahSAS
that the intoxicant (Wine) is a medicine, the ProphetSAS
replied:
|
“It
is not a medicine, but indeed it is a disease.” |
Simply because the term “Haram” (Forbidden) has been used in
the Verse (Ayah) forbidding Usury it cannot be insisted that it is
necessary to use the same term for forbidding anything else.
Whatever Allah ordains His subjects to Give-up, or to keep away
from it is surely forbidden even without using the term
“Haram” for it.
The use of “Liquor” (along with the intoxicants) was forbidden
gradually. The Arabs in the times of the ProphetSAS
were traditionally addicted to Wine and it would have been very
harsh on them to give-up their old habit all of a sudden. Allah,
the Most Merciful, enlightened them first about the sin involved
in the practice of consuming Wine. In the beginning, Allah, the
Most Merciful, explains to them thus:
“They
ask thee (O Prophet) about consuming the liquor and
gambling. Tell them! There is great harm in both and some
benefit for people, but their harm is greater than their
benefits.”
(Al-Baqarah/219)
|
And it was
reminded to them that:
| “Off
the fruits of Date-Palms and the Grapes you obtain drinks,
and pure and wholesome food.”
(Al-
Nahl/67) |
However, Muslims continued to consume Wine, thinking that it was
Halal (Permissible) for them. In these circumstances Syeduna OmerRZ,
Ma’az Ibn JabalRZ and other companions submitted to
the ProphetSAS
“O
Messenger of God, give us a ruling in the matter of using
intoxicants because they take away our consciousness while
causing loss of money.”
|
Then, came the revelation as described in the verse of Al-baqurah/219,
as noted above. Consequently some people gave it up and some
others continued to drink. In these circumstances Abdul Rehman bin
AufRZ arranged a party in which people consumed liquor
and became intoxicated. When they offered Obligatory Prayer the
Imam committed grave mistakes in reciting the Qur’an. Hence the
following verse was revealed.
| “O
Ye, who believe, approach not, the Prayer, when you are
intoxicated, until you realize what you say.”
(An-Nisa/43) |
As a result the number of people consuming liquor reduced
considerably. A party was arranged by Osman bin MalikRZ
and other ‘Ansars’. At
the party the guests became highly intoxicated and therefore
quarreled and beat each other. Then Syeduna OmerRZ invoked:
| “Our
Lord reveal us your clear and satisfying command in the
matter of intoxication.” |
There upon came
the revelation:
“O
ye, who believe, liquor, gambling, idol and dividing arrows
are but abominations and satanic devices. So turn away
wholly way from each one of them that you may prosper.”
|
“Satan desires
only to create enmity and hatred between you by means of
liquor and gambling and keep you back from
Zikrullah-Remembrance of Allah and Prayers. Will you then
end it?
|
Obey
Allah and obey Messenger and be ever on your guard; But if
turn away then remember the duty of Our Messenger is only to
convey Our Message clearly.”
(Al-Maidah/91-93)
|
In view of the above four verses of the Qur’an,
intoxication and gambling etc. became very degrading sin’s in
Islam. They have very grave consequences for the human society as
a whole. Therefore the Law giver of Islam has firmly made it
forbidden (Haram). There are some people who are in a delusion
about these clear commands of Allah simply because the word “Haram” has not been
used in the above Verses and some of them have taken an extreme
position when they wrongly claim that the Liquor is not rendered “Haram” by the
Qur’an.
Infact Qur’an has made it “Haram.”
The reasons are as follows:
1. AllahSWT forbade it by the word
“Wajtanibuhu” meaning keep away from it. This word is far
reaching because it keeps the consumer away from liquor and makes
him to guard himself against it and to fear it. This is more than
calling it Haram, in meaning. Then Allah made it clear that the
prosperity and success in this world and hereafter lies in keeping
away from it by the words “La alla kum Muflihoon.”
It has been indicated that it is harmful in this world on
account of its’ being harmful for the economy besides being bad
for the family and the society that Satan wants to create enmity
amongst people by means of intoxication and gambling. In addition
to this it keeps them away from Remembering Allah and the Prayers
which is a grave loss in the life hereafter.
2. Allah has questioned the user of intoxication
“Then, will you end it?”
Even if this phrase is in the form of interrogation, it is
in fact forbidding in its meaning. Indeed it is a clear command to
stop it for ever.
From the above verses we can make the following conclusions:
1.Intoxication has been grouped with gambling etc. and made
prohibited along with them.
2. Intoxication has been termed by the Qur’an as “RIJZ”-meaning filthy,
dirty thing or act, which again means that it is forbidden.
3. It has been counted as an act of Devil. It may be noted that
when the Prophet MosesSAS delivered a mighty punch on a
Khibti- which instantly killed him, it was regarded by MosesSAS
himself as an act of devil. When he realized it and submitted to
God:
“Haza Min Amalish
Shitan” (This was and act of Devil).
This shows the
gravity of sin involved in intoxication.
4. God ordained believers to keep away from it. This makes it
definitely “Haram”.
5. Success and prosperity of a believer in this world and
hereafter has been made dependent on keeping away from it.
6. God has alerted the believers from the designs of Devil to sow
the seeds of hatred and enmity amongst people by means of
intoxication.
7. Devil designs to block the way of Zikrullah –remembrance of
God.
8. Designs of Devils to keep away the believers from offering the
timely Salat- Prayers.
The saying of the ProphetSAS (Ahadith) throws ample
light on the subject of intoxication.
The ProphetSAS said:
“Anything
which intoxicates by consumption of It’s large quantity,
consumption of its small quantity too is Haram.”
|
Tirmizi
has reported from Hazrat A’yeshaRZ that:
| “The
Prophet of God SAS said every drink which
intoxicates is Haram.” |
This Hadith removes the doubts of some people who say that
a small quantity of Liquor which does not intoxicate is Halal or
permissible. ProphetSAS has made even the small
quantity Haram. The above Hadith is narrated by Abu Da’ud,
Tirmizi, Ibn Majah and Byhaqi. It may be noted here that whatever
intoxicates has been made Haram. So it covers all kinds of
intoxicants, Muslim has reported that as a person told the ProphetSAS
that Liquor is a medicine, the ProphetSAS said:
|
“It
is not a medicine but an ailment.” |
Tirmizi has reported from Abdullah bin OmerRZ
that:
“The
ProphetSAS said: ‘Whoever consumes Liquor for
the first time, his Salat will not be accepted by God for
forty days and if he repents, Allah accepts. If he consumes
it for the second time, Allah will not accept his prayers
for another forty days and if he repents Allah accepts his
repentance. If he consumes it for the third time his prayer
will not be accepted for another forty days and if he
repents again Allah will accept his repentance again. But if
he consumes it for the forth time Allah will not accept his
prayers for another forty days. If he repents again Allah
will not accept his repentance. And the punishment will be
that in the life hereafter Allah will make him consume filth
from the drain in the Hell.”
|
The facts noted above from the Qur’an and the Ahadith
should be enough to clear the doubts of those who believe that
consumption of liquor in small quantity which does not intoxicate
is permissible or Halal, is also wrong because the Qur’an has
called it “RIJZ” or
filthy. The filthiness mentioned in the Qur’an can be understood
from a “Naql”_ Narration of the Khalifatullah - Caliph of God.
Hazrat Syed Muhammad Mahdi Al-MaudAS in which he
compared the Wine with Urine.
May God make us obey
His commands for our own good and for the good of our community,
Ameen.
|
