Smoking in Islâm
by Ali Hasan Ali Abdul Hameed
Translated by Saleem Vawda
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Introduction
The unanimity of intellectuals on the pursuing of good and discarding of harm
is a known fact. From the beginning of time, life revolved upon this accepted
principle from all intellectuals and thinkers.
However, the intellects of people differ regarding that which is beneficial and
harmful. This is because of differences of the human mental faculties in
strength, weakness, soundness and deficiency. There are so many beneficial
things which people understand to be harmful and leave aside, because of their
suspicion of its harm. On the contrary, there are so many harmful things which
people advance towards believing them to be beneficial, therefore practising
upon them. This is due to the ambiguity of so many things whose reality is not
apparent and therefore not understood. Is it something beneficial which has to
be pursued or something harmful which has to be abstained from and discarded?
The following hadith of Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam substantiates this
fact: "Halaal and haraam are evident and between them (halaal and haraam) are
doubtful things which many people are unaware of.."
Verily that which is halaal is beneficial and that which is haraam is harmful.
From amongst halaal and haraam are those things whose benefit and harm are self
evident, for example, the benefit of honey and the harm of poison or the
benefit of doing good and the harm of evil actions. But between these are many
things whose benefit or harm are not known to everyone except to people of
experience, correct understanding and intellect. From amongst these is the
subject of smoking whose reality is vague and hidden from many people.
Therefore I decided to quote the opinions of intellectuals concerning this
issue from different angles so that it becomes apparent, its reality comes to
light and its vagueness is removed.
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The History of Smoking
Smoking as it is known today came to light in approximately 1492 (AD). This was
when some Spanish sailors found the tobacco plant at the time of the discovery
of the American continent.
Smoking spread menacingly in Europe towards the end of the sixteenth century.
This condition prevailed until the British King, James 1 launched an attack by
passing a law against smoking in the year 1604. In Russia, a severe resolution
was passed in the year 1634. It stated that the noses of those who purchase,
sell or smoke tobacco will be severed, they will be lashed and if they happened
to return to smoking, they will be banished to Siberia or executed.
During the seventeenth century, Denmark, Sweden, Sicily, Austria and Hungary
passed regulations prohibiting smoking. Smoking first came to light in the
Islamic states towards the end of the hundred and tenth year of hijrah and the
first people to import it to these places were the Christians.
What Do Cigarettes Comprise of ?
Cigarettes comprise of many poisonous ingredients of which nicotine is not the
only poisonous ingredient as many people misconceive, but includes other
ingredients whose harms are more dangerous than nicotine. From amongst its
poisonous ingredients are:
Carbon monoxide whose poisonous effect is known.
Poisonous lead which accumulates and the body fails to break it up.
Nicotine: This is a very poisonous substance so much so that a mere 50 mg of it
can kill a person if it is injected into the arteries.
Radio-active polonium which settles in the lungs of the smoker and doesn't
separate from it.
Tar: This is a sticky yellowish substance which makes the teeth yellow, causes
tooth decay and inflammation of the gums. This is one of the most harmful
ingredients.
Arsenic which is used as an insecticide, 10% of which settles on the lung.
Spirits and flavouring which are added by manufacturers to keep the tobacco
moist.
Benzene vapour which plays a great role in lung cancer.
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The Harms of Smoking
Mohammed Abdul Ghaffaar Al Afghani in his book "Ninety nine harms of smoking"
has said that smoking results in many sicknesses which doctors have explained
and they all amount to ninety nine.
Doctor SalahuDeen Abdur - Rabbe Nabi, a neuro surgeon in Cairo says: "When a
person becomes enslaved to the habit of smoking, it has a very harmful effect
on the smoker's health, especially to his heart. As a result, his heart beat
and blood circulation becomes unstable and he experiences drowsiness from time
to time due to the shrinking of his brain arteries. Sometimes during old age he
suffers from high blood pressure and angina. Similarly his digestive and
respiratory systems are harmed and the smoker loses his appetite. He is also
afflicted by a cough which is known as the smoker's cough. When his nervous
system is affected the smoker feels a prickly sensation, a numbness in his
limbs and also a pain in the nerves."
In the annual conference of the American Doctors Council which took place in
Chicago in 1966, the main topic discussed was the harms of smoking. Doctors,
who were aware of the role that smoking played in lung cancer, became alarmed
when they heard that the least harm smoking causes is that it arouses anxiety.
Doctor Edward Kweller Hammond, head of statistics in the Cancer Association of
America said: " Verily lung cancer which is caused by smoking cigarettes is not
so serious in comparison to the injury caused by smoking with other means." It
is stated in the ninth edition of "World of Knowledge" magazine that the time
has come wherein it has become necessary to expose all the harms of smoking. It
should also be realised that these despicable substances even cause death.
It is also necessary to elucidate the harms of smoking in the hope of saving
many intelligent and educated youth, who will be astonished to know how much
has been written regarding this topic.
It is also stated in the above-mentioned magazine under the following heading:
CANCER CAUSED BY SMOKING
This fatal illness is the culmination of many illnesses which are the result of
thin blood and other sicknesses which are related to the blood vessels.. All
these are connected to this loathsome substance. However, lung cancer is the
most likely outcome of smoking.
Lung cancer was a very rare disease but the end of this century witnessed a
high rise in its occurrence, primarily in men and thereafter in women.
In the beginning of the sixties, the death rate due to lung cancer increased
compared to before.
Smoking also yields other health hazards besides its general and specific
economic harms.
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Proof For The Prohibition Of Smoking
Smoking did not exist in the time of Rasool Sallallaahu Alahi Wasallam, but our
magnificent Deen has laid down general principles from which many laws are
derived. From these principles, the Ulema (Allah's mercy be upon them) have
come to the conclusion that smoking is haraam.
These proofs which indicate this are either verses from the Quraan or
narrations of Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam. From amongst them are, briefly:
The statement of Allah Ta'aala describing the mission of Nabi sallallahu alaihi
wasallam:
"He commands them to do good and stops them from evil and makes halaal for them
that which is pure and makes haraam upon them that which is impure." [Quraan 7:
157]
This verse clearly shows pure things to be halaal and impure things to be
haraam. An intelligent person would no doubt regard smoking to be from among
the impure things. The literal meaning of impurity is a bad thing whose taste
and smell are disliked. These two qualities are found in cigarettes.
"And do not squander (your wealth). Indeed the spendthrifts are the brothers of
Shaytaan." [Quraan 17:27]
Another verse of the Quraan-e-kareem states:
"And do not waste, for indeed Allah does not love those who waste." [Quraan
6:141]
A Hadith of Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam states: "And disliked for you is
hearsay, excessive questioning and the squandering of wealth."
Without any doubt, in the purchasing of cigarettes is destruction, wasting and
squandering of wealth. All these are not permissible according to the consensus
of the jurists.
A Hadith of Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam states: "Whoever eats garlic or
onion (raw) should keep away from us, keep far from our masjids and should sit
at home."
This is concerning the odour of these two vegetables, so what about the
repulsive stench of cigarettes which harms the smoker and irritates other
people? Its foul smell is more aggravating than the smell of garlic and onion.
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A verse of the Holy Quraan states:
"And do not throw yourself into destruction with your own hands." [Quraan 2:
195]
Smoking causes fatal sicknesses for example, lung cancer, tuberculosis etc.
In another verse of the Holy Quraan, Allah says:
"And do not kill yourselves." [Quraan 4: 29]
Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: "Whomsoever drinks poison, thereby
killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire of Jahannam."
Cigarettes consist of many poisonous substances and furthermore, the smoker
indulges in a slow suicidal act by smoking this poison.
A Hadith of Nabi Sallallaahu Alahi Wasallam states: Â Â "A person should not
commit such acts which are harmful and cause harm to others."
Smoking is purely a conglomeration of harming oneself and causing harm to
others as was explained above.
After all this, if anyone arrogantly denies these proofs which I have presented
and explained, then he should fear Allah from his heart.
Together with that he should be aware that the least which can be said of
smoking is that it is amongst the doubtful things concerning which Nabi
sallallahu alaihi wasallam explained that the person who involves himself in
these (doubtful) things, involves himself in haraam. Nabi sallallahu alaihi
wasallam has commanded us to stay away from these things. He said: "Halaal and
haraam are evident and between them, there are doubtful things which many
people are not aware of. Whosoever, abstains from doubtful things has protected
his Deen and whosoever indulges in doubtful things indulges in haraam."
A shepherd who grazes (his flock) around a pasture will very soon find himself
in it. Behold, every king has a pasture. Behold, the pastures of Allah are the
things He has declared haraam. Verily there is a piece of flesh in the body.
When it is on the correct path, the whole body will be on the correct path, and
when it deviates, so does the whole body deviate from the right path. Indeed
that is the heart."
Smoking is the cause of 140 000 Chinese dying every year and 90% of every 660
are infected with lung cancer in one of the hospitals for smokers in Shanghai.
The death toll caused by smoking is higher than that by wars and car accidents.
Smoking is the angel of death in this era.
Cigarettes angina + blood clotting + blood pressure + cancer = death.
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Sheikh Haafiz ibn Ahmed Al-Hakamy (poetically) describes the tobacco plant
An incurable disease and a cause of weakness in human strengths.
It has a detestable odour that detracts from the virtues of manliness.
I questioned them: Is this drug permissible unto you
to be included from the pure categories that have been permitted
by inferences from the Islamic Legal texts.
The people responded to me:
It hadn't been permitted and neither has it been prohibited.
I then replied: At least one of the interpretations is indeed inevitable.
Is it beneficial or harmful ? Clarify this for us.
They responded: Certainly harmful,
there are no contesting arguments.
We then indicated: Undoubtedly, the primary principal is then applicable
- i.e. Prohibition applies in all that which harms.
Is there not in the Quraanic verse of the chapter A'raaf
sufficient rebuke to one who seeks the truth, against all evil forms.
If you negate this plant to be of the harmful class,
then you are unrightful except by proper and clear presentational evidence
that proves whence you have deduced such a view
while you simultaneously attest its intoxication
which is then followed by languidity of the limbs.
The prohibition against wastage has clearly been revealed in the Quraan.
And also against destroying wealth in futile avenues.
Elucidating verses have been revealed with these implications
consolidated with Ahaadith (prophetic teachings) of the highest inferential
sources.
How then has it become permissible for you to ignite it by fire?
O People - are there any answers to my questions?
O Intelligent Being - in all important affairs,
set aside from yourself that which places you in doubt
and betake to all that which does not cause you doubt.
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Conclusion
I ask Allah, The Almighty to give us the ability to practise good actions and
to protect us from slips and errors and to make us from amongst those who
listen carefully to speech and follow it correctly. May Allah send salutations
upon our leader, Muhammad, his family and all his companions and those that
follow them correctly till the day of Judgement.
Ali Hasan Ali Abdul Hameed
Zarqaa, Jordan
23 Rabiul Awwal 1404 A.H.
