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by a Muslim as gifts because a Muslim is pure and neither gives nor receives anything except what is
pure.
It is reported that a man brought a cask of wine to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) as a gift. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
informed him that Allâh had prohibited it. ‘Shall I not sell it?‘ asked the man. ‘The One Who Prohibited
drinking it has also prohibited selling it,‘ replied the Prophet (s.a.w.s.). ‘Shall I not give it to a Jew as a
gift?‘ asked the man. ‘The One Who has prohibited it has also prohibited that it be given as a gift to the
Jew,‘ said the Prophet. ‘Then what shall I do with it?‘ asked the man. ‘Pour it on the ground,‘ the Prophet
replied. (Compiled by al-Hameedi in his Musnad.)
Avoiding Drinking Parties
In the same spirit, the Muslim is ordered to stay away from drinking parties or gatherings at which drinks
are served. ‘Umar
τ
narrated that he heard Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) saying, “Whoever believes in
Allâh and the Last Day must not sit at table at which khamr is consumed.” (Compiled by Ahmad; al-
Tirmidhî also reports something similar to it.)
While it is the duty of a Muslim to eradicate the evil he sees, if he is unable to do so, he must stay away
from it, leaving the place where people are engaged in such things.
It is reported that the rightly-guided Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul‘Aziz
τ
used to flog not only those who drank
but those who sat with them as well, even if they were not themselves drinking. When once he was told
of a group of people who were at a drinking party, he ordered that all of them be flogged. He was told
that a person who was fasting was among them. “Begin with him,” he said. “Have you not heard Allâh’s
saying, ‘And He has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the revelation of Allâh rejected and
mocked, you are not to sit with them until they turn to some other theme; for if you do so, you will be like
them....’” (4:140)
Alcohol, Itself a Disease, Cannot Be a Medicine
From all the explicit texts of the Qur‘ân and ahadith quoted above, we see that Islâm is very firm in
combating alcohol, as well as in keeping the Muslim away from it by erecting barriers between him and it
so that no opening, either wide or narrow, is left for him either to consume alcohol or to touch it. The
Muslim is not allowed to drink it in large or small amounts; he is not permitted to handle it through selling
or buying, manufacturing, or giving it as a gift; he is not allowed to bring it to his home or shop; he is not
allowed to serve it at gatherings, for a joyous occasion or otherwise, or to serve it to a non-Muslim guest;
and he is not allowed to mix it with any food or beverage.
A question raised by some people which still remains to be answered concerns the use of alcohol as a
medicine. This question was answered by the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) when a man told him that he used wine
as a medicine. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “It is not a medicine but a disease.” (Compiled by Muslim,
Ahmad, Abû Daoud, and al-Tirmidhî.)
He also said, Allâh has sent down the disease and the cure, and for every disease there is a cure. So
take medicine but do not use anything haram as medicine. (Compiled by Abu-Daoud.)
With regard to intoxicants Ibn Mas‘ud said, “Allâh has not made a cure for you in what He has prohibited
to you.” (Compiled by al-Bukhâri as a comment on the preceding hadith.) It is therefore not surprising
that Islâm forbids the use of alcohol and other prohibited substances as medicines. As explained by Ibn
Qayyim, the prohibition of a thing implies avoiding and staying way from it by every means, while taking
it as a medicine renders it desirable and reuires keeping it on hand, and this is against the Law-Giver’s
purpose. Ibn Qayyim, said, “If alcohol were permitted as medicine when people are already inclined
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toward it, it would provide them with an excuse to drink it for pleasure and enjoyment, especially since
people have the impression that it is beneficial for their health, alleviates their complaints, and cures their
diseases.” (Zad al-Ma‘ad, vol. 3, pp. 115-116.)
One may also mention that the attitude of the patient toward the medicine he takes has a considerable
effect in hastening or delaying the cure. Ibn Qayyim, who had considerable insight into human
psychology, elaborates on this point in the following manner: One condition for the efficacy of the
medicine is that the patient believes in its efficacy and that Allâh has placed the blessing of cure in it.
Now the Muslim patient’s belief that a particular substance, such as alcohol, is haram prevents him from
believing that it can at the same time be beneficial or blessed. Thus he will not have any trust in it nor will
he take it approvingly. On the contrary! The stronger the Muslim’s faith, the greater will be his aversion to
it and the greater his mistrust of it. If hethen grudgingly takes what he hates and loathes, it will not be a
cure for him but a disease. (Adapted from his discussion in Zad al-Ma‘ad, vol. 3.)
Having said this, we must again mention the exempted case of necessity; the Islâmic Shari‘ah has a
different ruling for such a case. Supposing a ma’s life were in danger and no substitute for a medication
containing alcohol were available; a Muslim physician, who was at once an expert in his field and at the
same time zealous in safeguarding the commands of religion, would then find no alternative except to
prescribe a medication containing alcohol. As its aim is always the welfare of human beings, the Shari‘ah
permits the taking of such a medicine in such a case. However, one must be aware that this concession
is strictly limited to that quality which is deemed essential:...But if one is compelled by necessity, neither
craving (it) nor transgressing, then, indeed, thy Rabb is Forgiving, Merciful. (6:145)
Drugs
“Khamr is what befogs the mind.” These are the words spoken by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab
τ
from the pulpit
of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), providing us with a decisive criterion for defining what falls under the prohibited
category of khamr. There remains then no room for doubts and questions: any substance which has the
effect of befogging or clouding the mind, impairing its faculties of thought, perception, and discernment is
prohibited by Allâh and His Messenger (s.a.w.s.) until the Day of Resurrection.
Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and the like are definitely included in the prohibited category
of khamr. It is well known that the use of such drugs affects the sensory perceptions, making what is
near seem distant and what is distant seem near; that their use produces illusions and hallucinations, so
that the real seems to disappear and what is imaginary appears to be real; and that drug usage in
general impairs the faculty of reasoning and decision-making. Such drugs are taken as a means of
escape from the inner reality of one’s feelings and the outer realities of life and religion into the realm of
fantasy and imagination. Added to this psychological fact are the physical effects: bodily lassitude,
dullness of the nerves, and decline in overall health. The moral consequences, moral insensitivity,
weakening of the will-power, and neglect of responsibilities are also well known. Eventually, addiction to
drugs renders a person a diseased member of society. Furthermore, drug addiction may result in the
destruction of the family or even in a life of crime. Since obtaining drugs involves a great outlay of
money, a drug addict may well deprive his family of necessities in order to buy drugs and may resort to
illegal means to pay for them.
When we recall the principle that impure and harmful things have been made haram, there can be no
doubt in our minds concerning the prohibition of such detestable substances such as drugs, which cause
so much physical, psychological, moral, social and economic harm.
The Muslim jurists were unanimous in prohibiting those drugs which were found during their respective
times and places. Foremost among them was Sheikh al-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah, who said, This solid grass
(hashish) is haram, whether or not it produces intoxication. Sinful people smoke it because they find it
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