Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansaab,
and Al-Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s)
handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90]

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari (2295) and Saheeh Muslim (86) it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“No one who commits zina is a believer at the moment when he is committing zina, and no
one who drinks wine is a believer at the moment when he is drinking it, and no thief is a
believer at the moment when he is stealing, and no robber is a believer at the moment when he
is robbing and the people are looking on.”

It is also narrated in al-Bukhaari (5147) and Muslim (3736) from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may
Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “Whoever drinks wine in this world and does not repent from that, he will
be deprived of it in the Hereafter.”

In Sunan Abi Dawood (3189) it is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them
both) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah
has cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who sells it, the one

1
 who buys it, the one who squeezes it (squeezes the grapes, etc), the one for whom it is
squeezed, the one who carries it and the one to whom it is carried.”

In Sunan al-Nasaa’i (5570) it is narrated that Ibn al-Daylami said to ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr, “O
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr, did you hear the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) say anything about wine?” He said, “Yes, I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘If any man from among my ummah drinks wine,
Allaah will not accept his prayers for forty days.’”

Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If alcohol falls into water and is completely absorbed in it, then someone drinks it, he is not
regarded as drinking alcohol and the hadd punishment for drinking alcohol is not to be carried
out on him, because nothing of its taste, colour or odour remained.

End quote from al-Mustadrak ‘ala Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (3/12).

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr and
every khamr is haraam.” Narrated by Muslim (2003)

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al-Ansab (stone
altars for sacrifices to idols etc), and AlAzlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an
abomination of Shaitan’s (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order
that you may be successful.”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90].

2
Al-Qurtubi said:

The words “So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination)” imply complete avoidance, so that it
cannot be used in any way whatsoever, whether it is drinking, selling, turning it into vinegar,
using it for medicinal purposes, etc.

End quote from al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’an (6/289)

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: In them is a
great sin, and (some) benefits for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit”

[al-Baqarah 2:219]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansaab
(stone altars for sacrifices to idols, jinn, etc), and Al-Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or
decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that
(abomination) in order that you may be successful.

91. Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants
(alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allaah and from
As-Salaah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain?”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90-91]

Narrated Ibn Abbas the Messenger of Allah (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace)

3
 said: “Alcohol is the mother of all evils, the greatest of major sins. Whoever drinks it
may end up committing incest with his mother, his maternal aunt and his paternal
aunt.” Tabarani, Majma Kabir, 11498

It was narrated from Abu Bakr bin ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith that his father said: “I heard
‘Uthman, (R), say: ‘Avoid Khamr for it is the mother of all evils. There was a man among those
who came before you who was a devoted worshipper. An immoral woman fell in love with him.
She sent her slave girl to him, saying: We are calling you to bear witness. So he set out with her
slave girl, and every time he entered a door, she locked it behind him, until he reached a
beautiful woman who has with her a boy and a vessel of wine. She said: ‘By Allah, I did not call
you to bear witness, rather I called you to have intercourse with me, or to drink a cup of this
wine, or to kill this boy.’ He said: ‘Pour me a cup of this wine.’ So she poured him a cup. He
said: ‘Give me more.’ And soon he had intercourse with her and killed the boy. So avoid
Khamr, for by Allah (Glory be to Him) faith and addiction to Khamr cannot coexist but, one
of them will soon expel the other.’” Sunan An-Nasa’i, Vol. 6:5669

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). And whosoever follows the
footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan), then, verily, he commands Al-Fahsha’ [i.e. to commit indecency
(illegal sexual intercourse)], and Al-Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked
deeds; and to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam)]. And had it not been for the Grace of
Allaah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allaah
purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower”

[al-Noor 24:21]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

4
 “Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayaateen (devils)

[al-Israa 17:27]

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The believer has to fear Allaah with regard to His slaves, but their guidance is not his
responsibility. This is what is meant by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves. If you follow the (right) guidance [and
enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what
is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden)] no hurt can come to you from
those who are in error”

[al-Maa’idah 5:105]

Following right guidance means doing all the obligatory duties. If a Muslim does his duty of
enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, as well as other duties, the misguidance of
those who are misguided will never harm him. This may be done sometimes with the heart,
sometimes with the tongue, and sometimes with the hand. Denunciation with the heart is
obligatory in every situation, because no harm can result from it, and whoever does not do that
is not a Muslim, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “And that is
the weakest of faith.”

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 28/127

It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last

5
 Day, let him not sit at a table where wine is being drunk.”

Narrated by Ahmad, 126

It was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (2051), and by at-Tirmidhi (1840) and Ibn Maajah
(3316), from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: “What a good condiment vinegar is.”

Al-Khattaabi said in his commentary on the hadith: What these words point to is moderation in
eating and refraining from overindulgence in food. It is as if he was saying: Use as condiments
vinegar and the like, which are inexpensive and are not difficult to obtain, and do not expend
too much effort in pursuit of fine food, for indulging in desires spoils one’s religious
commitment and makes the body sick.

End quote from Ma‘aalim as-Sunan (4/254)

In Mataalib Ooli an-Nuha (1/230) it says: Permissible vinegar is made by adding vinegar to the
grapes or to the juice before they ferment, before three days and nights have past, so that they
will not ferment. This was narrated by a number of scholars from Ahmad. End quote.

It says in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (4/399): With regard to the hadith “What a good condiment
vinegar is”, what is meant by vinegar here is vinegar that is not produced from wine, so as to
reconcile between the hadiths. End quote.

With regard to treating wine so that it becomes vinegar, there was a dispute among the scholars
with regard to that. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah referred to this dispute when he said:

As for turning wine into vinegar, there is a difference of opinion concerning it. It was said that
it is permissible to turn wine into vinegar, as was narrated from Abu Haneefah; it was said that

6
it is not permissible, but if it is turned into vinegar it becomes pure, as was narrated from
Maalik; and it was said that it is permissible to move it from the sun to the shade, and to
remove the cover from it, and so on, without adding anything to it, as is the view of ash-
Shaafa‘i and Ahmad; it was said that it is not permissible at all, as was the view of some of the
companions of ash-Shaafa‘i and Ahmad, and this is the correct view, because it was proven
from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he was asked about wine
belonging to some orphans, and he ordered that it should be poured away. It was said to him:
They are poor. He said: “Allah will enrich them from His bounty.” When he ordered that it
should be poured away and forbade them to turn it into vinegar, it was obligatory to obey him
with regard to his instructions and prohibitions. So it is obligatory to pour wine away and not
make it into vinegar. This was despite the fact that they were orphans and despite the fact that
that wine had been acquired before the prohibition on wine was introduced, so they were not
sinning.

End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (21/483)

Al-Bukhaari (4087) and Muslim (1733) narrated that Abu Moosa said: The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent Mu’aadh ibn Jabal and me to Yemen, and I said: O
Messenger of Allaah, there is a drink that is made in our land and is called al-mizr, which is
made from barley, and another drink called al-bit’, which is made from honey. He said: “Every
intoxicant is haraam.”

Al-Bukhaari (4343) and Muslim (3032) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: I heard ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) say from the minbar of the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “O people, the prohibition
of khamr was revealed when khamr was made from five things: grapes, dates, honey, wheat and
barley. Khamr is whatever befogs the mind.”

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said: The general meaning of the words, “Every intoxicant is haraam,” is

7
taken as evidence that whatever causes intoxication is haraam, even if it is not a drink. So that
includes hashish and other things. Al-Nawawi and others were certain that it is an intoxicant,
and others were certain that dulls the senses, and it is arrogant to say otherwise, because its
visible effects are the same as those of khamr, such as euphoria and addiction.

Even if we assume that it is not an intoxicant, it is proven in Abu Dawood that all intoxicants
and relaxants are haraam. And Allaah knows best. End quote from Fath al-Baari, 10/45.

Al-Khattaabi said: Relaxants are those drinks that cause relaxation in the muscles and numbness
in the extremities, which is the precursor to intoxication. It is forbidden to drink them lest they
be a means that leads to intoxication.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Everything that takes away
one's senses is haraam, even if it does not result in drunkenness or intoxication. If it takes away
the senses it is haraam according to the consensus of the Muslims. With regard to using banj
(lit. henbane) which does not cause intoxication or take away reason, this is subject to a ta’zeer
punishment.

The scholars who studied the issue realized that hashish is an intoxicant, and that it is only
consumed by evildoers, because of the pleasure and euphoria it brings. So it is like intoxicating
drinks. Khamr makes a person lively and argumentative, whereas hashish makes him relaxed
and lethargic, but it still befogs the mind and opens the door to physical desires and
heedlessness with regard to one's honour, which makes it worse than intoxicating drinks. This is
something that was introduced by the Tatars.

The one who consumes a little or a lot of it is to be subjected to the punishment for drinking:
eighty or forty lashes, if he is a Muslim who believes that intoxicants are haraam. End quote
from al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/423

8
It says in al-Siyaasah al-Islamiyyah (p. 92): Hashish which is made from grape leaves is also
haraam and the one who does that should be whipped as the drinker of khamr is whipped. It is
worse than khamr in a way, because it corrupts the mind and mood, and robs a man of his
masculinity and makes him heedless about his honour, and other evil consequences. But khamr
is worse in another way, because it leads to arguments and fights. Both of them keep a person
from remembering Allaah and praying. Some of the later fuqaha’ did not issue rulings on the
punishment for it, and they thought that the one who consumes it should be given a ta’zeer
punishment that is less severe than the hadd punishment, because they thought they thought
that it alters the mind without causing euphoria, like banj (henbane). We have not found any
comment on it among the earlier scholars, but that is not correct, rather those who consume it
become addicted to it like those who drink khamr, if not more so, and it keeps them from
remembering Allaah and praying if they consume a great deal of it. It also causes other evil
results such as heedlessness about one's honour and loss of masculinity, corruption of one's
mind and mood, and so on. Because it is something solid and edible, and it is not a drink, the
scholars disagreed as to whether it is naajis (impure) and there are three opinions in the
madhhab of Ahmad and elsewhere. It was said that it is naajis like khamr that is drunk – this is
the correct view; and it was said that it is not naajis because of its solid state, and it was said
that a differentiation should be made between its solid and liquid forms.

Whatever the case, it comes under the heading of that which Allaah has forbidden of khamr
and intoxicants, whether by name or by nature. Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: O Messenger of Allaah, advise us with regard to two drinks that we used to
make in Yemen: al-bit’ which is made of honey that is soaked until it becomes strong, and al-
mizr which is made of wheat and barley until it becomes strong. The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had been given the gift of comprehensive and
concise speech and he said: “Every intoxicant is haraam.” Agreed upon in al-Saheehayn. End
quote.

He also said: How about the person who persists in consuming hashish, especially if he

9
believes that it is permissible, as some people do? Such a person should be asked to repent; if
he repents, all well and good, otherwise he should be executed, because intoxicants are haraam
according to scholarly consensus, and regarding them as permitted is undoubtedly kufr. End
quote. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 2/309.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There should be neither
harming nor reciprocating harm.” Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah (2341)

With regard to the punishment of the drinker in this world, the punishment is flogging,
according to the consensus of the fuqaha’, because of the report narrated by Muslim (3281)
from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) flogged the one who had drunk wine with palm branches stripped of their
leaves and with shoes.

But there is some difference of opinion as to the number of lashes. The majority of scholars
are of the view that it is eighty lashes for a free man and forty for others.

They quoted as evidence the hadeeth of Anas quoted above, in which it says that a man who
had drunk wine was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and
he had him flogged forty times with two palm branches that had been stripped of their leaves.
Abu Bakr also did likewise (during his caliphate). When ‘Umar was the caliph, he consulted the
people and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan said, “The minimum punishment is eighty,” so that is what ‘Umar
commanded.

The Sahaabah agreed with ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) and did not differ.

Some of the scholars – such as Ibn Quddamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) and Shaykh al-
Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] in al-Ikhtiyaaraat – think that giving more than forty lashes is left to the
discretion of the Muslim leader. So if he thinks that there is a need to give more than forty

10
lashes, as happened at the time of ‘Umar, then he may make it eighty.

(See Tawdeeh al-Ahkaam, 5/330)

It was narrated by Ibn Maajah (3377) from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr who said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever drinks alcohol and gets
drunk, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days and if he dies he will go to Hell. But if he
repents, Allaah will accept his repentance. If he again drinks alcohol and gets drunk, his prayer
will not be accepted for forty days and if he dies he will go to Hell. But if he repents, Allaah
will accept his repentance. If he again drinks alcohol and gets drunk, his prayer will not be
accepted for forty days and if he dies he will go to Hell. But if he repents, Allaah will accept his
repentance. If he commits (this sin) again, then Allaah pledges to make him drink the mud of
khabaal on the Day of Resurrection.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, what is the mud of
khabaal?” He said, “The juices of the people of Hell.”

Abu ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mandah said: The words “his prayer will not be accepted” mean that he
will not be rewarded for his prayer for forty days, as a punishment for his drinking alcohol, just
as they say that the one who speaks on Friday when the imam is delivering the khutbah should
pray Jumu’ah but there is no Jumu’ah for him, meaning that he will not be given the reward for
Jumu’ah as a punishment for his sin.

Ta’zeem Qadr al- Salaah, 2/587, 588

Al-Nawawi said:

With regard to his prayer not being accepted, what this means is that he will not be rewarded
for it, even though it is valid in the sense that he has discharged his duty and does not need to
repeat it. End quote.

11
 And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who repents
from sin is like one who did not commit sin.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4250

Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (2003) that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant is
khamr and every intoxicant is haraam. Whoever drinks khamr in this world and dies when he is
addicted to it and has not repented, will not drink it in the Hereafter.”

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whatever causes intoxication in
large amounts, a small amount of it is haraam.”

Narrated by an-Nasaa’i (5607) and others.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) discussed this matter at length,
explaining the rulings on what you have asked about. He discussed this substance (marijuana or
hashish) and stated that all the rulings on khamr are applicable to it. He (may Allah have mercy
on him) said:

As for the accursed intoxicant hashish, it is the same as other intoxicating substances, and what
intoxicates of it is haraam according to scholarly consensus. In fact anything that causes a
person to become unconscious is prohibited to eat, even if it does not cause intoxication, such
as banj (Hyoscyamus niger, commonly known as henbane or stinking nightshade, a plant with
psychoactive properties that was historically used as an anaesthetic and for other purposes).
The hadd punishment is required for consuming intoxicating substances, and a disciplinary
punishment (ta‘zeer) may be imposed in other cases, where the substance consumed does not
intoxicate but it renders one unconscious.

Consuming small amounts of intoxicant hashish is haraam according to the majority of

scholars, as is also the case with regard to consuming small amounts of any other intoxicant.

12
The words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “Every intoxicant is
khamr and every khamr is haraam” include everything that causes intoxication, and it makes no
difference whether the intoxicant is eaten or drunk, or whether it is solid or liquid. If the
hashish is turned into liquid and drunk, it is still haraam.

Our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent with concise speech, so if he
spoke a comprehensive word that was general in meaning, a lot of words and meanings may
come under that category, whether they are the exact same things that existed in his time and in
the place where he lived, or otherwise. When he said “Every intoxicant is haraam,” that
included what existed in Madinah of intoxicating drinks made from dates and so on, and it also
included what existed in Yemen of intoxicating drinks made from wheat, barley, honey and
other things. It also includes what was introduced later on of alcoholic drinks made from
mare’s milk, which was common among the Turks and others. None of the scholars
differentiated between intoxicants made from mare’s milk or intoxicants made from wheat and
barley, even though one of them existed and was known at the time of the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him), and the other was not known at that time, because no one in
the Arab land made intoxicating drinks from mare’s milk.

The first report we have of hashish appearing among the Muslims was at the end of the sixth
century AH and beginning of the seventh century, when the Tatar state emerged, at the time
when Genghis Khan attacked the Muslims. At that time, people began to commit openly acts
that Allah and His Messenger had forbidden, and because of these sins Allah caused the enemy
to prevail over them. This accursed hashish was one of the greatest of evils, for it is worse than
drinking intoxicants in some ways, and intoxicant drinks are worse than it in other ways. In
addition to causing the one who consumes it to become intoxicated to the extent that he is
completely dazed and stupefied, hashish also causes a person to develop an effeminate attitude,
become a cuckold (who does not care about impropriety on the part of female family
members), and to become disturbed. It makes one eat a great deal and may lead to insanity.

13
Many people have become insane because of consuming it.

Some people say that it alters the mind, so it does not cause intoxication like banj (henbane),
but that is not true. Rather it gives a sense of pleasure and euphoria like alcohol, and this is
what prompts people to consume it. A little of it leads to more, like intoxicating drinks, and if a
person becomes used to it, it is more difficult to wean oneself from it than is the case with
alcohol. So in some ways the harm it causes is greater than that caused by alcohol.

Hence the fuqaha’ said that the hadd punishment must be given for it, as in the case of alcohol,
but they differed as to whether it is najis (impure). …

If a person becomes intoxicated as a result of drinking alcohol or consuming intoxicating

hashish, it is not permissible for him to come near the mosque until he sobers up, and his
prayer is not valid until he knows what he is saying. He must wash his mouth, hands and
garments in either case (i.e., whether he has drunk alcohol or consumed hashish), and prayer is
still obligatory for him, although it will not be accepted from him for forty days, unless he
repents, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever drinks
alcohol, no prayer will be accepted from him for forty days, then if he repents, Allah will accept
his repentance. If he drinks it again, no prayer will be accepted from him for forty days, then if
he repents Allah will accept his repentance. Then if he drinks it again, it will be incumbent
upon Allah to give him to drink of the mud of al-khabaal.” It was said: What is the mud of al-
khabaal? He said: ‘The juice of the people of Hell – or the sweat of the people of Hell.”

As for the view of those who say that there is no verse or hadith about marijuana, this stems
from ignorance, for the Qur’an and hadith contain comprehensive words which state general
principles and holistic issues, and cover everything that comes under that heading. Everything
that is included under that heading is included in the Qur’an and hadith in general terms, but it
is not possible to mention every single thing by its specific name.

14
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam (34/204-207)

Al-‘Allaamah Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said in al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah (4/233), speaking of

hasheeh:

The evidence for its being forbidden is the report narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad and by
Abu Dawood in his Sunan with a saheeh isnaad from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
forbade all kinds of intoxicants and relaxants. The scholars said that relaxants are things that
cause drowsiness and languor in the limbs. This hadeeth indicates that hasheesh in particular is
haraam, because it intoxicates and relaxes, which is why those who consume it sleep a great
deal. Al-Qaraafi and Ibn Taymiyah narrated that there is scholarly consensus that it is haraam
and said: The one who regards it as permissible is a kaafir. He said: The only reason why the
four imams (may Allaah have mercy on them) did not speak of it is that it was not known at
their time, rather it only appeared at the end of the sixth century AH and the beginning of the
seventh century when the Tatar state emerged. End quote.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fataawa al-Kubra
(3/425): Consuming this hasheesh in solid form is haraam, and it is one of the most evil of
haraam plants, whether a little of it is consumed or a lot. End quote.

Al-‘Allaamah Ibn Qaasim al-Shaafa’i said: What is meant by the drinker is the consumer,
whether it is drunk or consumed otherwise, whether there is consensus on its being forbidden
or there is a difference of opinion concerning that, and whether it is solid or liquid, cooked or
raw. End quote.

In Saheeh Muslim (3670) it says that asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) about alcohol and he forbade him or told him not to make it. He said: “But I make it as a
remedy.” He said: “It is not a remedy, it is a disease.”

15
In Sunan al-Tirmidhi (2381) it is narrated that Ubayy (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I
said: O Messenger of Allaah, I send a great deal of blessings upon you. How much of my
du’aa’ should I make for you? He said: “Whatever you wish.” I said: One-quarter? He said:
“Whatever you wish, but if you do more it will be better for you.” I said: One half ? He said:
“Whatever you wish, but if you do more it will be better for you.” I said: Two-thirds? He said:
“Whatever you wish, but if you do more it will be better for you.” I said: I will make all my
du’aa’ for you. He said: “Then your worries will be taken care of and your sins will be
forgiven.”

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansaab
(stone altars for sacrifices to idols etc) and Al-Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are
an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in
order that you may be successful”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90]

“And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Faahishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its
limits: a great sin), and an evil way that leads one to hell unless Allaah forgives him”

[al-Isra’ 17:32].

Al-Bukhaari narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No adulterer is a believer at the time when
he is committing adultery; no thief is a believer at the time when he is stealing; no drinker of
wine is a believer at the time when he is drinking it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5578) and
Muslim (57).

16
 Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“If you avoid the great sinswhich you are forbidden to do, We shall expiate from you your
(small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise)”

[al-Nisa’ 4:31].

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) used to say: “The five daily prayers, from one Jumu’ah to the next, and from one
Ramadaan to the next, are an expiation for whatever (sins) come in between, so long as one
avoids major sins.” Narrated by Muslim (233).

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as
Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse”

[al-Furqaan 25:68].

Al-Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

It is true that when the one who persisted in drinking alcohol dies, he will meet Allah like one
who worshipped idols, and there is no doubt that zina is worse and more serious before Allah
than drinking alcohol. End quote.

Al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 3/190.

Al-Safaareeni (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

17
Zina is the most serious of major sins after shirk and murder. End quote.

Ghidha’ al-Albaab, 2/305

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed ten with regard to alcohol: the
one who squeezes it (the grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, the one who drinks it,
the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who pours it, the one who sells it,
the one who consumes its price, the one who buys it and the one for whom it is bought.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Nasaa’i (5666) narrated that ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Avoid alcohol
for it is the mother of all evils. There was a man among the people who came before you who
was a devoted worshipper. A seductive woman fell in love with him, and she sent her slave-
woman to him to call him to bear witness. He went with the slave-woman, and every time they
passed through a door, she locked it behind them, until he reached a beautiful woman with
whom was a child and a vessel of wine. She said, ‘I did not call you to bear witness, rather I
called you either to have intercourse with me, or to drink a cup of this wine, or to kill this
child.’ He said, ‘Pour me some of this wine.’ So she poured him a cup, then he said, ‘Give me
more,’ and he did not stop until he had has intercourse with her and killed the child. So avoid
alcohol, for by Allaah faith and addiction to wine cannot be combined except soon one of
them will be expelled.”

Al-Saawi said in his commentary on al-Sharh al-Sagheer (4/500) about drinking alcohol:

Its evil consequences are worse than the evil consequences of zina because it is very common,
because drinking it may lead to zina, stealing and murder, hence it was narrated that it is the
mother of evils. End quote.

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Allah says -- after mentioning a number of major sins and immoral actions, such as associating
others with Allah, murder, zina and other major sins (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as
Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse __and
whoever does this shall receive the punishment.

69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein
in disgrace;

70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for
those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful

71. And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then verily, he repents towards
Allaah with true repentance”

[al-Furqaan 25:68-71]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansaab,
and Al-Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s)
handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90]

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari (2295) and Saheeh Muslim (86) it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“No one who commits zina is a believer at the moment when he is committing zina, and no

19
 one who drinks wine is a believer at the moment when he is drinking it, and no thief is a
believer at the moment when he is stealing, and no robber is a believer at the moment when he
is robbing and the people are looking on.”

It is also narrated in al-Bukhaari (5147) and Muslim (3736) from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may
Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “Whoever drinks wine in this world and does not repent from that, he will
be deprived of it in the Hereafter.”

In Sunan Abi Dawood (3189) it is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them
both) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah
has cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who sells it, the one
who buys it, the one who squeezes it (squeezes the grapes, etc), the one for whom it is
squeezed, the one who carries it and the one to whom it is carried.”

In Sunan al-Nasaa’i (5570) it is narrated that Ibn al-Daylami said to ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr, “O
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr, did you hear the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) say anything about wine?” He said, “Yes, I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘If any man from among my ummah drinks wine,
Allaah will not accept his prayers for forty days.’”

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): (But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawaahish
(great evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or
secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allaah
for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allaah of which you have no
knowledge”

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 [al-‘Araaf 7:33]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely: ‘This is lawful and this is
forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allaah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allaah will
never prosper”

[al-Nahl 16:116]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to
be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth
(by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of salcohol (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious
(unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has
been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while
slaughtering”

[al-An’aam 6:145]

And the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us an important
principle when he said: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He (also) forbids its price.” Narrated by
Abu Dawood, 3488

It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say when he was in Makkah
at the time of the Conquest: “Allaah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of alcohol,
dead meat, pork and idols.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what do you think of the fat

21
 of dead animals, for ships are caulked with it and animal skins are daubed with it, and the
people use it to light their lamps?” He said: “No, it is haraam.” Then the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the Jews, for when Allaah
forbade them animal fat, they melted it down and sold it, and consumed its price.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1212; Muslim, 1581.

Al-Nawawi said:

With regard to dead meat, alcohol and pork, the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is
haraam to sell all of these.

Al-Qaadi said: This hadeeth indicates that whatever we are forbidden to eat or make use of, we
are also forbidden to sell, and it is not permissible to consume its price, as in the case of the
animal fat mentioned in this hadeeth.

Sharh Muslim, 11/8

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said, after quoting the ahaadeeth about the prohibition on alcohol:

The conclusion we may draw from all these ahaadeeth is that whatever Allaah has forbidden us
to make use of, it is also haraam to sell it and consume its price, as is stated clearly in the
hadeeth: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He (also) forbids its price.” This is a general,
comprehensive phrase which applies to everything which is intended to be used in haraam
ways. These fall into two categories:

(i)Things which are to be used and will remain as they are, such as idols. The purpose for which
they are used is shirk or association of others with Allaah, which is the greatest of all sins. We
may add to that books of shirk, witchcraft, innovation (bid’ah) and misguidance, forbidden

22
images, forbidden means of entertainment and also buying slave women who will serve as
singers.

(ii)Things which are to be used and which will be used up. If in the majority of cases a thing is
used for haraam purposes, then it is haraam to sell it. For example, it is haraam to sell pork,
alcohol and dead meat even though they may – on rare occasions – be used for a permissible
purpose, such as eating dead meat for those who are in extreme need, or using alcohol to stop
oneself choking or to putt out a fire, or using pig hairs for beading, or making use of the hair
and skin of a pig – according to those who approve of that. But because these are not the
reason for which these things are produced, and the usual use for pigs and dead meat is to eat
them, and the usual use for alcohol is to drink it, so no attention should be paid to these
reasons, and it is haraam to sell these things.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicated this when it was said to
him: “What do you think of the fat of dead animals, for ships are caulked with it and animal
skins are daubed with it, and the people use it to light their lamps?” He said: “No, it is
haraam.”

Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam, 1/415, 416

In al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Cut the moustache and let the
beard grow; be different from the mushrikeen.” In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Cut the moustache and leave the
beard alone; be different from the mushrikeen.” And in Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Trim the moustache and let the beard grow; be different from the Magians
(Zoroastrians).”

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 Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansaab
(stone altars for sacrifices to idols etc), and Al-Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are
an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in
order that you may be successful”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90]

Abu Dawood (3674) and Ibn Maajah (3380) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has cursed alcohol, the one
who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who sells it, the one who buys it, the one who
squeezes (the grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, the one who carries it and the one
to whom it is carried.”

Al-Tirmidhi (1295) narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed ten with regard to alcohol: the one who squeezes (the
grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, the one who drinks it, the one who carries it, the
one to whom it is carried, the one who pours it, the one who sells it and consumes its price, the
one who buys it and the one for whom it is bought.”

It is narrated in Saheeh Muslim (1579): A man gave the Messenger of Allaah (S) a small skin
full of wine, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to
him: “Do you know that Allaah, may He be exalted, has forbidden it?” He said, No, then he
whispered to another man. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “What are you whispering about?” He said: I told him to sell it. He said: “The One
Who has forbidden drinking it has also forbidden selling it.”

It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah

24
 (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has made a covenant to those who
drink alcohol, that He will make them drink teenat al-khabaal.” They said, “O Messenger of
Allaah, what is teenat al-khabaal?” He said, “The sweat of the people of Hell,” or, “The juice
of the people of Hell.” Narrated by Muslim, (3732).

Al-Haafiz Wali al-Deen al-‘Iraaqi said: The correct view, which is that of the scholars and the
majority is that the rules of sharee‘ah are also addressed to the kuffaar, so silk is forbidden to
them as it is forbidden to the Muslims. End quote.

Tarh al-Tathreeb, 3/227

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: It is not permissible for a man to help anyone in disobeying
Allah, even if the one who is being helped does not believe that it is a sin, such as helping the
disbelievers with alcohol and pork. End quote.

Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 6/282

The Shaafa‘i faqeeh Ibn Hajar al-Haytami was asked about the ruling on selling musk to a kaafir
whom he knows is buying it to apply to his idol, or selling an animal to a harbi (a non-Muslim
who is in a state of war with Muslims) who he knows is going to kill it without slaughtering it
properly in order to eat it.

He replied: It is haraam to sell in both cases. In every case where the seller knows that the
buyer is going to use (the item) for sinful purposes, it is haraam for him to sell it to him.
Applying perfume to idols and killing animals for food without slaughtering them properly are
two major sins even for them, because the correct view is that the rules of sharee‘ah are
addressed to the kuffaar just as they are addressed to the Muslims. So it is not permissible to
help anyone with them by selling anything that may help them to do those things. End quote
from al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra, 5/43

25
 Abu Dawood (3488) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Allaah forbids the
consumption of a thing to some people He also forbids its price to them.”

Muslim (1579) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The One Who has forbidden drinking it has also forbidden selling
it.”

And it was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, during the year of
the Conquest when he was in Makkah: “Allaah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of
alcohol, dead meat, pork and idols.” Agreed upon.

Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Whatever Allaah has forbidden the use of, He also forbids selling it and consuming its price, as
is clearly stated in the report quoted above: “When Allaah forbids a thing he also forbids its
price.” These words are general in meaning and comprehensive, and apply to everything the use
of which is haraam. End quote.

Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam (415).

And Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

It is not permissible to sell alcohol, whether to a believer or a disbeliever. End quote.

Al-Muhalla (7/356).

26
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma’aad (5/763):

If it is asked: Will you deem it permissible for a Muslim to sell alcohol and pork to a dhimmi
because the dhimmi believes them to be permissible? The answer is: That is not permissible,
and its price is haraam. End quote.

Ibn Jizzi said:

It is not permissible for a Muslim to sell alcohol to a Muslim or to a kaafir. End quote.

Al-Qawaaneen al-Fiqhiyyah (p. 117)

Al-Nawawi said:

Selling alcohol is invalid whether it is sold to a Muslim or to a dhimmi, or one dhimmi sells it to
another, or the Muslim delegates a dhimmi to sell it for him. All of that is indubitably invalid, in
our view. End quote.

Al-Majmoo’ (9/271).

Allah said (interpretation of the meaning):

“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not
help one another in sin and transgression”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

27
All clothes which one thinks most likely will be used for sinful purposes, it is not permissible to
sell them or sew them for one who will use them for sinful and wrongful purposes.

Sharh al-‘Umdah, 4/386.

Allaah says of the people of Hell (interpretation of the meaning):

“’What has caused you to enter Hell?’

43. They will say: ‘We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers),

44. Nor we used to feed Al-Miskeen (the poor);

45. And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain talkers.

46. And we used to belie the Day of Recompense’”

[al-Muddaththir 74:42-46]

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), “If You should punish them -
indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in
Might, the Wise” [al-Maa’idah 5:118]

Ibn Jizziy said: Here there are two questions:

The first is: Why did he say “but if You forgive them” when they are disbelievers, and there is
no forgiveness for the disbelievers?

The answer is that what is meant is to refer the matter to Allah, and if He punishes them or

28
forgives them, there can be no objection to that, because all people are His slaves, and the
master does whatever he wants with his slaves.

This does not necessarily mean that the disbelievers are granted forgiveness; rather it implies
that that may happen according to the wisdom and might of Allah, and there is a difference
between what is possible and what happens.

With regard to the view of those who say that these words were addressed to ‘Eesaa (peace be
upon him) when Allah took him up to heaven, there is no problem with that, because what it
means is: if You forgive them by causing them to repent, and at that time they were still alive,
and it is possible that anyone who is still alive may repent.

The second question is: how do his words “indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the
Wise” fit with his words “but if You forgive them”, when it would be more appropriate in the
context of mentioning forgiveness to say “indeed it is You who is the Forgiving, the Merciful”?

There are three aspects to the answer:

Firstly: it seems to me that because his aim was to submit to Allah and glorify Him, saying
“indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise” was more appropriate, because
wisdom dictates submitting to Him, and might dictates glorifying Him, for the Exalted in Might
is the One Who does whatever He wills, and no one can overrule Him or prevent him from
doing anything that He wants to do. So the words imply delegation of the matter to Allah, with
regard to forgiving them or not forgiving them, for He is able to do both, because of His
Might. Whichever of them He does, it is appropriate and wise.

Secondly: our shaykh, Ustadh Abu Ja‘far ibn az-Zubayr, said: Rather he did not say “the
Forgiving, the Merciful” lest that be interpreted as implicitly seeking forgiveness for them. So
he simply surrendered and delegated the matter to Allah, without asking for that, because

29
forgiveness cannot be sought for the disbelievers. This is similar to our view.

Thirdly: our shaykh, al-Khateeb Abu ‘Abdillah ibn Rasheed narrated from his shaykh, the most
eloquent imam of his time, Haazim ibn Haazim, that he used to pause after the words “but [or:
and] if You forgive them”, as if the sentence ended there, and the words “indeed it is You who
is the Exalted in Might”were the beginning of a new sentence. It is as if he said: Whether You
punish them or You forgive them, indeed they are Your servants in either case.

At-Tasheel (1/252).

Ibn Katheer said: With regard to the words “If You should punish them - indeed they are Your
servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise”, this
is referring the matter to the will of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, for He is the One
Who does whatever He wills, and cannot be asked about what He does; rather they will be
asked. It also implies a disavowal of the Christians who told lies about Allah and His
Messenger, and ascribed a rival, a spouse and a son to Allah – exalted be Allah far above what
they say.

This verse is of great significance and tells of wondrous news. It is narrated in the hadith that
the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in prayer one night,
repeating it over and over until dawn.

Tafseer Ibn Katheer (3/233).

Ibn al-Qayyim said: Then he said: “but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the
Exalted in Might, the Wise” [al-Maa’idah 5:118]. He did not say “the Merciful, the Forgiving”.
This is the most eloquent etiquette before Allah, may He be exalted, for he will say that at a
time when the Lord is angry with them, and will order that they be taken to the Fire, which is
not a time for seeking mercy or intercession; rather it is a time for disavowal of them. If he

30
were to say “indeed it is You who is the Forgiving, the Merciful”, that would imply seeking
mercy from his Lord for His enemies with whom He is extremely angry. So it will be a situation
in which he should accept his Lord’s decree and be angry with those with whom the Lord is
angry. So he will refrain from mentioning the two divine qualities by virtue of which Allah’s
compassion, mercy and forgiveness are sought, and will instead mention His might and
wisdom, which are indicative of His perfect power and knowledge.

What is meant is: if You forgive them, then Your forgiveness stems from perfect power and
knowledge, not from an inability to wreak vengeance upon them, or from being unaware of the
seriousness of their crime. This is because one person may forgive another because he is unable
to take revenge on him, or because he is unaware of the extent of his offence against him.
What is perfect is the forgiveness of one who is powerful and aware, namely the Exalted in
Might, the Wise. The fact that these two attributes are mentioned in this context is utterly
appropriate and is indicative of good manners and etiquette.

Madaarij as-Saalikeen (2/358).

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