Consumption of intoxicants & drugs: an Islamic perspective

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The young Muslims of today are facing an ever-increasing numberof
dilemmas. One of these is drugs. What does Islam have to say about it?
How should Muslimsregard drugs? To know this, we must see what the
Quran and theSunnah (prophetic tradition) say regarding intoxicants
and narcotics.
Allaah Almighty states in the Noble Quran what means: " O Youwho
believe! Indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters
[to other than Allaah], and divining arrows are but defilement from
the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may besuccessful." [Quran:
5:90]
Allaah Almighty has described using intoxicants, amongst otherthings,
as being appalling, despicable and hateful acts of Satan, and He has
commanded usto abstain from them. Allaah, thereafter, states in the
next verse, that which means: "Satan only wants to cause between
youanimosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert
you from the remembrance of Allaah and from prayer. So will you not
desist? [Quran: 5:91] This Aayah (verse) tells us how it is a
detestable act of Satan, because intoxicants, in addition to sowingthe
seeds of enmity, prevent one from the remembrance of Allaah.
Bear in mind that when the term intoxicant is used, it also
encompasses narcotics, because they too, among other things, result in
the loss of self-control. There are also many narrations stated by the
Noble Prophet with regards to intoxicants, such as:
1) Jaabir reported that the Noble Prophet said: "Whosoever drinks
wine, whip him. If he repeats it for the fourth time, kill him." He
(Jaabir) continued: "A man was later brought to the Prophet who had
drunk wine for the fourth time. He beat him, but did not killhim."
[At-Tirmithi & Abu Daawood]
The following Hadeeth (propheticnarration) clearly states that the
Noble Prophet prohibited intoxicants:
2) Ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: "Every
intoxicant is Khamr (wine)and every intoxicant is Haraam (unlawful).
Whosoever drinks wine in this world and dies whilst having consumed it
and not having repented from it will not drink it in the next world
[i.e.in Paradise ]." [Muslim]
3) Jaabir narrated that the Messenger of Allaah said: "Whatever
intoxicates in a greater quantity is also unlawful in a small
quantity." [At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood & Ibn Maajah]
4) Abdullaah bin 'Amr reported from the Prophet who said: "One who is
disobedient to parents, gambles, is harsh after charity (i.e., he
reminds others of his charity to them) or is a habitual drunkard shall
not enter Paradise ." [Ad-Daarimi]
5) Ibn 'Abbaas reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: "If a
habitual drunkard dies, he will meet Allaah like the one whoworships
idols." [Ahmad & Ibn Maajah]
In other narrations, Prophet Muhammad described intoxicants as:
1. The key to all evils.
2. The head of all errors and lapses.
3. The most terrible of major sins.
4. The mother of all atrocities.
5. The mother of all evils.
Why are drugs and intoxicants soabhorrent, awful, foul and vile in the
sight of Islam? Let us look at what the scholars have said regarding
the effects of drugs from worldly as well as religious perspectives:
Imaam Ibn Hajar Al-Makki narrates from some scholars thatthere are one
hundred and twenty worldly and religious detriments that result from
consuming hashish (Cannabis).
Not ten, or twenty, but one hundred and twenty harms occurdue to the
consumption of such drugs! Ibn Seenaa stated that large amounts of it
dries up semen (The fluid that carries sperm, thus rendering a
consumer of narcotics sexually impotent). Ibn Al-Beetaar stated: "A
group of people used it(drugs) and therefore became mentally deranged
(insane)."
Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah said:"All the faults, blemishes, and other bad
things in Khamr (wine)are present in hashish, and more,because the
majority of faults in khamr affect religion, but hashishaffects, to a
great extent, both religion and body."
Some might say that all drugs do not intoxicate, and that drugs like
heroin and hashish are only depressants which slacken and weaken the
mind. The answer to this lies is in the following statement:
Umm Salamah said: "The Prophet prohibited every intoxicant and Muftir
(every substance which slackens the mind)."
The unanimity of the Ummah (Muslim nation) on the prohibition of
narcotics is also narrated from many scholars. Imaam Az- Zarkashi
stated: "The consensus of the Ummah is narrated from several scholars
onthe prohibition of hashish; those scholars include Qiraafi and Ibn
Taymiyyah."
If that was not enough, Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah has further stated:
"Whosoever regards it lawful has become a Kaafir (disbeliever)."
The scholars of all four schools ofIslamic jurisprudence unanimously
agree that consuming anything intoxicating is Haraam. Certain plants
have also been included in this, as Imaam Rafee' clearly stated that:
"The scholars have included intoxicating plants, etc. within this
prohibition."
So far, the prohibition of drugs has been proven by means of the
Quran, Sunnah and Ijmaa' (consensus of scholars). It can further be
proved by Qiyaas (analogical deduction) i.e. logical reasoning. When a
person is intoxicated (or 'stoned' in street language) he does not
know what he is doing. He could easily kill someone or fornicate, etc.
In the same manner, to feed his habit, he will most probably haveto
steal. These are, without a shadow of doubt, unlawful. There is a
general rule that whatever leads to something Haraam (unlawful) is in
itself Haraam. Thus, drugs have been proven as Haraam by all four
sources of Islamic jurisprudence (Quran, Sunnah, Ijmaa' and Qiyaas).
What is the legal punishment for consuming drugs?
Imaam Al-Maawardi stressedthat by consuming plants, which cause
over-excitement (intoxication), the Hadd (legal punishment) will
become necessary, which, in this case, is eighty lashes.
Imaam Qiraafi states that all the scholars of his period agreed that
its consumption is Haraam.
However, there is a difference of opinion as to what punishment
becomes incumbent due to consuming drugs; either Hadd, because it
intoxicates or Ta'zeer (reprimand) because it corrupts the mind.
According to three prominent Imaams (Shaafi'i, Maalik and Ahmad),
consuming anything intoxicating, however small the amount, will bring
the legal punishment of eighty lashes to the person. However,
according to the Hanafi school, if an intoxicating amount has been
taken, then, according to Imam Muhammad, Hadd will be necessary.
According to Imaam Abu Haneefah and Imaam Abu Yusuf, he will be
reprimanded severely, but the Hadd will not beimposed.
Ta'zeer is such a punishment thatholds no specific amount and is for
the discretion of the Judge. We should note that according tosome
scholars, in certain cases, Ta'zeer could prove to be more severe than
the Hadd itself, such as when the person persistently commits the
crime.