Wine and Drugs: an alarming increase in addiction and its religious fearful harm.
Mohammad Ansarullah Hasan
Wine, alcohol, Yaba and Drug addictiona stand out as a major problem not for the addict and his or her family only, but a serious curse for the society and also for a nation since drug abuse is linked to crimes, premature unnatural deaths and economic losses of a country. Drug addiction alarmingly continues to spread its tentacles to different sections of the society. Millions of people each year become victims of Yaba or drug-related crimes. Nowadays, drug addiction is present in all-over the world, which is destroying the young generation including children with women and also their families with its dangerous effects.
The spread of drug addiction among the transport workers at an alarming rate is one of the major reasons behind road accidents, as police and transport leaders have pointed out.
What is more worrying is that women, who were earlier comparatively free of the menace, are now increasingly drawn into drug abuseas as a director of the department of narcotics control is quoted in the ‘Daily New Age’ report. Moreover, Yaba has seen a 15–20 per cent rise in its use in several months as per intelligence reports and studies by national and international health-related organizations.
Prophecy of prophet (pbuh) about the spread of drug addiction
There are very many narrations of the greatest Prophet Muhammad (sm.) (pbuh) there are some narrations which are mentioned below:
عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضـ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺيَقُولُ : إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ الْعِلْمُ، وَيَكْثُرَ الْجَهْلُ وَيَكْثُرَ الزِّنَا، وَيَكْثُرَ شُرْبُ الْخَمْرِ، وَيَقِلَّ الرِّجَالُ، وَيَكْثُرَ النِّسَاءُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِخَمْسِينَ امْرَأَةً الْقَيِّمُ الْوَاحِدُ. [رواه البخاري]
Narrated Anas Radiyallahu anhu (Rd.), I heard Rasulullah (sm.) (Allah’s Messenger) saying: From among the portents of the Hour are the following: Religious knowledge will be taken away; (by the death of Religious learned men). General ignorance (in religious matters) will increase; illegal Sexual intercourse will prevail. Drinking of wine or alcoholic drinks will prevail; Men will decrease in number, and women will increase in number, so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man. [sahih Bukhari, 5231]
عَن أَبي عَامِرٍ أَوْ أَبي مَالِكٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ أنه سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ، وَلَيَنْزِلَنَّ أَقْوَامٌ إِلَى جَنْبِ عَلَمٍ يَرُوحُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَارِحَةٍ لَهُمْ، يَأْتِيهِمْ-يَعْنِي الْفَقِيرَ – لِحَاجَةٍ فَيَقُولُوا ارْجِعْ إِلَيْنَا غَدًا. فَيُبَيِّتُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَضَعُ الْعَلَمَ، وَيَمْسَخُ آخَرِينَ قِرَدَةً وَخَنَازِيرَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة. [رواه البخاري]
Narrated Abu ‘Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari: (Rd.), that he heard the Prophet (sm.) saying : From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, ‘Return to us tomorrow.’ Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection. [sahih Bukhari, 5590]
عَنْ رَجُلٍ مَنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيﷺ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: يَشْرَبُ نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَمْرَ يُسَمُّونَهَا بِغَيْرِ اسْمِهَا.رواه النسائي وأحمد
Ibn Muhairiz narrated from a man among the Companions of the Prophet [SAW] that: The Prophet (sm.) said: People among my Ummah (followers) will drink Khamr (wine), calling it by another name. [Sunan Nasayee, 5658, Ahmad, 18073]
Islam Prohibits Wine and Drugs
The Holy Prophet (sm.) in the early stages, warned people against the use of wine and told them how it invited divine punishment. He said that wine was the source of evils and indecencies and one who indulges in it can go on to commit even the worst possible sins.
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Allah (SWT) says, They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In both there is great sin, and some benefits for people. And their sin is greater than their benefit. (surah Al Bakar : Verse 219)
What the verse says is clear from its translation, and its explanation which follows immediately. It may be added here that the word, `Ithm’ or sin includes everything that may become a preliminary to sin. For instance, wine dulls senses and weakens the power of reason, something basic to human excellence. Human reason acts as a brake against human indulgence in evil deeds. Once reason is blocked out, the door is opened for all sorts of evil deeds.
The third verse regarding wine, that is as follows:
قال الله تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (90) إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ (91) [سورة المائدة ]
Allah (SWT) says, “O you who believe! Wine (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al-Ansab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols), and Al-Azlam (divining arrows for seeking luck or decision) are filth, an abomination of Shaitan’s (made up by Satan) Therefore, refrain from it, so that you may be successful.
Satan wishes only to plant enmity and malice between you through wine and gambling, and to prevent you from the remembrance of Allah and from Salah (prayers). Would you, then, abstain? (Sura Al Mayeedah: 90-91).
The greatest Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) states that alcohol is emphatically forbidden and it is the mother of all evils; whoever falls into this sin, it will lead him into other evil actions. Taking drug is strictly Haram (prohibited) in Islam.
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ : قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ : إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى حَرَّمَ الْخَمْرَ فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَتْهُ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ وَعِنْدَهُ مِنْهَا شَىْءٌ فَلاَ يَشْرَبْ وَلاَ يَبِعْ. رواه مسلم
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri Radiyallahu anhu (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sm.) (pbuh) said : Verily Allah, the Exalted, has forbidden wine. So who hears this verse and he has anything of it with him, he should neither drink it nor sell it. [sahih Muslim, 1578/67]
عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، قَالَ أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِيﷺ ” لاَ تَشْرَبِ الْخَمْرَ فَإِنَّهَا مِفْتَاحُ كُلِّ شَرٍّ
Narrated Abu Darda’ (Rd.), that he said:‘ My close friend (sm.) advised me: ‘Do not drink wine, for it is the key to all evils. [sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith : 3371/4034, Adab Imam Bukhari, 18]
What is wine or alcohol in Islam?
The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that get people intoxicated when taken is unlawful, both in small and large quantities, whether it is alcohol, drugs, fermented raisin drink, or something else.
The first declaration made by the Prophet (sm.) concerning this matter was that not only is Khamr (wine or alcohol) prohibited but that the definition of Khamr extends to any substance that intoxicates, in whatever form or under whatever name it may appear. Thus, beer and similar drinks are in Islam.
The Prophet (sm.) was once asked about certain drinks made from honey, corn, or barley by the process of fermenting them until they became alcoholic. The Prophet (sm.) succinctly replied, “Every intoxicant is wine and every wine is haram” (prohibited). [sahih Muslim, 2003/74]
And Umar (Rd.) declared from the pulpit of the Prophet (sm.) that “Alcoholic drinks were prohibited by Divine Order, and these drinks used to be prepared from five things, grapes, dates, wheat, barley and honey. “Wine or Khamr is that which befogs the mind”. [sahih Bukhari, 5581]
Islam takes an uncompromising stand in prohibiting intoxicants, regardless of whether the amount is little or much. If an individual is permitted to take but a single step along this road, other steps follow; he starts walking and then running, and does not stop at any stage. That is why the Prophet (sm.) said,“Of that which intoxicates in a large amount, a small amount is haram prohibited).[Musnad Ahmad, Hadith : 14703, Sunan Abu Dawud 3681 and Sunan At-Tirmidhi, 1865
in another narration : “Every intoxicant is unlawful. Whatever a of it intoxicates, and then a handful of it is haram or unlawful. A sip of it is haram or prohibited”. [Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Hadith : 1866]
Spiritual Disorders Caused by drinking wine
The first verse (90) describes the prohibition of four things: (1) Wine (all kinds of alcoholic drinks) (2) Gambling, (3) altar-stones or idols and (4) Divining Arrows. As here, these four things have been called “Rijs” (filth). In the Arabic language, the word “Rijs” refers to something foul, which is disgusting for human taste. All four things mentioned here are, for anyone with commonsense and good taste, repulsive and disgusting.
By saying: رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَان that these things are filth, a work of Satan, taken up first were their spiritual ills. The sense is that indulgence in these activities is disgusting. This is a trap of Satan. Whoever walks in never walks out, only to become a victim of many more vices. Then, the command given was: فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ (Therefore, refrain from it) since the nature of these indulgences requires it.
In the end it was said: لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (so that you may be successful). It means that one’s chances of succeeding and prospering in the present world and in the Hereafter depend on doing just that – abstain.
The second verse (91) describes the physical and outwardly visible defects of drinking and gambling: that is, the Satan wants nothing but to plant enmity and malice between you through drinking and gambling.
Towards the end of the verse, yet another drawback of this addiction has been pointed out in the words: وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ (and to prevent you from the remembrance of Allah, and from Salah).
Obviously, this is a spiritual harm brought by drinking and gambling which has been mentioned again after mentioning their worldly bad effects. It may be a hint to the fact that the real harm is the spiritual harm, because the real life is the eternal life of the Hereafter for which one should be more careful and concerned.
If we were to think about the negligence of the Dhikr of Allah and the Salah, we shall come to the conclusion that its effects are equally bad for our life in the present world as well as in that of the Hereafter. Therefore, it is possible that by saying: (filth, a work of Satan), the purpose could be to state the other-worldly and spiritual harmfulness exclusively; and by saying (Satan wants nothing but to plant enmity and malice between you), the aim could be to point out to worldly and physical evils exclusively; and by saying (to prevent you from the remembrance of Allah, and the Salah) the objective could be to mention the total destruction of the life in this world and in the Hereafter both.
After having described the physical and spiritual drawbacks of drinking and gambling, the way in which people have been asked to stay away from these indulgences is certainly disarming and heart winning. It is said: Would you, then, abstain?
Religious fearful harm of drinking wine
There are many narrations of the greatest Prophet Muhammad (sm.) there are some narrations mentioned below:
عَنْ جَابِرٍ رضي الله عنه، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ، إِنَّ عَلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَهْدًا لِمَنْ يَشْرَبُ الْمُسْكِرَ أَنْ يَسْقِيَهُ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ. قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَمَا طِينَةُ الْخَبَالِ؟ قَالَ: عَرَقُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ أَوْ عُصَارَةُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ. رواه مسلم
Jabir (Rd.) reported, Rasulullah (sm.) said: Every intoxicant is forbidden. Verily Allah the Exalted and Majestic, made a covenant to those who drank intoxicants to make their drink Tinat al-Khabal. They said: Allah’s Messenger, what is Tinat al-Khabal? He said: It is the sweat of the denizens of Hell or the discharge of the denizens of Hell. [sahih Muslim, 2002/72]
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ،رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ خَمْرٌ، وَكُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ، وَمَنْ شَرِبَ الْخَمْرَ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَمَاتَ وَهُوَ يُدْمِنُهَا لَمْ يَتُبْ، لَمْ يَشْرَبْهَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ. رواه مسلم
Abdullah Ibn Umar (Rd.) reported Rasulullah (sm.) said,: Every intoxicant is Khamr and every intoxicant is forbidden. He who drinks wine in this world and dies while he is addicted to it, not having repented, will not be given a drink in the Hereafter. [sahih Muslim, Hadith : 2003/73]
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: مَنْ شَرِبَ الْخَمْرَ وَسَكِرَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فإِنْ مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْه، وَإِنْ عَادَ فَشَرِبَ فَسَكِرَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فإِنْ عَادَ فَشَرِبَ فَسَكِرَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فإِنْ عَادَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يَسْقِيَهُ مِنْ رَدَغَةِ الْخَبَالِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ” قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَا رَدَغَةُ الْخَبَالِ؟ قَالَ: “عُصَارَةُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ. رواه ابن ماجة وابن حبان والترمذي وأحمد.
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amor (Rd.), that Rasulullah (sm.) said: “Whoever drinks wine and gets drunk, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days, and if he dies he will enter Hell, but if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he drinks wine again and gets drunk, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days, and if he dies he will enter Hell, but if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he drinks wine again and gets drunk, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days, and if he dies he will enter Hell, but if he repents Allah will accept his repentance. But if he does it again, then Allah will most certainly make him drink of the mire of the puss or sweat on the Day of Resurrection.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is the mire of the pus or sweat? He said: “The drippings of the people of Hell.” sunan Ibn Majah, 3377, Ibn Hibban, 5357, Ahmad, 4971
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “مُدْمِنُ الْخَمْرِ، كَعَابِدِ وَثَنٍ” رواه ابن ماجة وفي رواية : شَارِبُ الْخَمْرِ كَعَابِدِ اللَّاتِ وَالْعُزَّى. رواه الامام الحارث في مسنده.
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (Rd.) that the Messenger of Allah said: “The one who is addicted to wine is (a criminal) like one who worships idols. [sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith : 3375】In some narrations, the words appear as: that is, one who drinks is like the one who worships the idols laat and uzza. [Musnad Haris, 450]
In the Jami’ of al-Tirmidh;, there is a narration from the blessed Companion Anas (Rd.) which reports that the Holy Prophet (sm.) has cursed ten people in relation to wine, being the crusher or presser or squeezer, the distiller, the user, the server, the carrier, the receiver (the one for whom it is carried), the seller, the buyer, the giver (as gift), and the one who uses the income arising from it. [Hadith : 1297]
Allah! Save us (all Muslims), especially our young generation including children and women from all kind of drug addiction and its dangerous effects. Ameen.
Studied at Al-Jamia Al-Islamia Patiya, Ctg.