Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan Bhai, May Allah give you all the rewards for spreading the true teaching of Quraan. Some of our mis-guided brothers are questioning whether our Quraan clearly states the prohibition of alcohol in Islam. They say: Anything that is intoxicating is haraam but you can drink moderately and still be a very thoughful and in your full senses. Can you please guide us where this is stated in Quraan. Thank you 

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Answer:

Prohibition of Alcohol

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:O you who have believed! ‘Khamr’ (all types of intoxicants), games of chance, idols, and divining arrows are all abominable works of Shaitaan; therefore, stay (far) away from these so that you may attain success. Indeed, Shaitaan seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of ‘khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling, and to prevent you from the Remembrance of Allah and from Salaah. Will you not, then, abstain from these things?

Allah Subhanah in the above aayah clearly declares that ‘khamr’ or all types of intoxicants are the abominable works of Shaitaan, and commands the believers to stay far away from them! The term used by Allah in the Quran to guide the believers to stay away is ‘fajj-tanebu’, commanding the believers that this ‘khamr’ is so hated by Allah for the believers, that they not only should abstain from consuming it, they should stay far away from it! Some scholars have opined that the term ‘fajj-tanebu’ is stronger than the term ‘haraam’, and a believer who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, must not even put himself in a position that he sits with those who consume intoxicants!

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared several things haraam (like the flesh of swine, dead animals, gold and silk for the male believers, etc.), but nowhere has it been mentioned that we cannot go near them! But for intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divining arrows… Allah has commanded the believers to stay far away from it!!!

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3672 Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr (alcohol, wine, etc.), and every intoxicant is haraam.”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3679 Narrated by Aisha

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: “Every intoxicant is haraam; if a quantity of anything causes intoxication, a handful of it is (also) haraam.”

Sahih Muslim Hadith 4962 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “Every intoxicant is haraam! Verily Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, made a covenant to those who drank intoxicants to make them drink ‘Tinat al-Khabal’. The companions asked: “Allah's Messenger, what is Tinat al-Khabal?’ He (saws) said: “It is the sweat of the denizens of Hell, or the discharge of the denizens of Hell.”

The Messenger of Allah (saws) has explicitly declared the consuming of all types of intoxicants as ‘haraam’ for the believers; and clearly stated that if the consumption of a considerable quantity of something intoxicates, even a small quantity of that thing will be considered ‘haraam’!

There are some people who argue that Allah has not explicitly declared alcohol haraam in the Quran; therefore it is only disliked by Allah, and not actually haraam like consumption of swine, or dead animals, etc.! Nothing could be further from the Truth! Allah indeed dislikes the consumption of intoxicants for the believers, so much so, that He has specifically commanded the believers to ‘stay far away’ from it! And besides, the person who was sent as a Mercy to all mankind with the Glorious Quran, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws), himself, explicitly declared all types of intoxicants absolutely haraam for the believers…whether consumed in a small quantity, or in large quantities! And the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not declare anything haraam or halaal from himself, but he (saws), was, at all times, guided by the All Wise, All Knowing Lord of the Worlds!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan