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The ravages of drugs and alcohol (al khamr) in the world speak for themselves and the Quran alerts us about their harmful effects in no uncertain terms, without forgetting that they can also be a blessing if used intelligently. We are going to study if drugs and alcohol are permitted in small quantities or not when it comes to recreational use according to the book of God. We will also investigate, based on what the scientific community has determined, if tobacco products fall into the same category as drugs and alcohol due to similar psychoactive effects. We will then assess if the Quran allows a measured approach based on wisdom and common sense regarding a therapeutic usage of substances that affect mental faculties in general. We will quote all relevant verses pertaining to the subject, especially those that some interpret as allowing a moderate consumption of alcohol. We will finally reconcile all those verses to provide, God willing, an objective answer to our questions.

Table of contents

1. Definition of the word « khamr »

1.1. Verses in sura Joseph and consumption of alcohol in paradise

1.2. 2:219 : Psychoactive substances are a great sin

1.3. 5:90 and 5:91 : Psychoactive substances are an abomination that originates from satan to turn us away from the Quran and the ritual prayer

2. Understanding 4:43 in the Quranic context

Conclusion

1. Definition of the word « khamr »

The root « khamara » (خَمْر) signifies to cover, hide, veil, ferment. The word « al khamr » (الْخَمْر) designates all substances that “veil or affect the mental faculties” of an individual, that is to say substances that have a “psychoactive effect on the brain”. This is why I chose to translate “Al Khamr” as “psychoactive substances” in this study (another possible translation would be “substances that affect mental faculties”, which includes alcoholic beverages, recreational or medical drugs, (marijuana, cocaine, morphine, opium, heroin, LSD, etc…) and in my opinion tobacco products as well. The reason why I believe we should include tobacco in the list is that numerous scientific studies have concluded that the consumption of tobacco products stimulates the brain’s production of addictive and psychoactive substances, namely opioids and dopamine. Smoking or chewing tobacco stimulates the same chemical flow of opioids and dopamine as morphine and heroin, and creates a sense of reward for the brain and the “feel good effect” that smokers crave for. This makes trying to quit smoking very difficult, as smokers get highly addicted to the regular surge of opioids and dopamine that soothes their brain. Numerous scientific studies and the scientific community around the world have reached a consensus with respect to the fact that tobacco products fall into the category of psychoactive drugs. This is mostly due to the presence of nicotine, a very addictive and psychoactive component naturally found in tobacco leaves in the range of 0,5 to 7.5% depending on variety. Cigarettes are commonly regarded as “nicotine delivery devices” by tobacco companies. They know full well that smokers will quickly become addicted to nicotine due to the very nature of the product, and a lot of times for their entire life. This represents a very reliable and long term stream of income for the tobacco industry, and they couldn’t care less for the often long term catastrophic consequences for a smoker.

These facts are well documented in numerous peer reviewed scientific studies such as the ones led by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2007, National Drug Strategy Household Survey), Benowitz N. (Nicotine addiction, New England Journal of Medicine, 2010), the US department of health and Human services (The health consequences of smoking: Nicotine addiction, 1988), the Royal College of Physicians of London (Nicotine addiction in Britain, 2000), and so on.

Therefore, and since it is scientifically proven that tobacco products fall into the category of psychoactive drugs (or products that affect or “veil” the mental faculties of an individual), they should in my view unquestionably be regarded as corresponding to the definition of “al khamr”. We do not need to elaborate on the fact that tobacco products are a similar plague in the world as drugs and alcohol. Tobacco consumption is directly related to numerous illnesses such as lung and throat cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular disease, etc…

In 2:219, 5:90 and 5:91 the word « al khamr » (الْخَمْر) is definite and designates anything that has a psychoactive effect (wine, drugs, tobacco) while in 12:36 and 12:41 (sura Joseph) the word « khamr » (خَمْر) is indefinite and relates more specifically to alcoholic beverages (wine and alcohol in general).

1.1. Verses in sura Joseph and consumption of alcohol in paradise

 

وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًا وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ إِنِّي

 

أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

 

(12:36) Two young men entered the prison with him; one of them said: In truth, I see myself pressing wine [in my dream]”. And the other said: “I see myself carrying some bread above my head and birds eating from it”. Inform us of regarding such meaning; indeed, we see that you are among those endowed with goodness.

 

 

يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَمَّا أَحَدُكُمَا فَيَسْقِي رَبَّهُ خَمْرًا وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَيُصْلَبُ

 

فَتَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِن رَّأْسِهِ قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي فِيهِ تَسْتَفْتِيَانِ

 

(12:41) « Ô my fellow prisoners, one of you will provide wine to drink to his master, as for the other, he will be crucified and birds will feed from his head. The matter about which you both inquire has been decreed.

The word “khamr” is indefinite in both verses and means “wine” or “alcohol”; No prohibition is mentioned in any of those verses that relate the very ancient story of Joseph. We will simply mention that he used to live in a society where some people used to worship several deities (12:40), even though the sura enlightens us that the concept of “Allah” was also common knowledge at the time (12:51).

In 47:15, the Quran mentions that there will be “rivers of wine” in paradise, and we legitimately have the right to ask ourselves why wine would be forbidden on earth while it is permitted in paradise. The following verses address our question, as we see that the wine in paradise does not make people drunk:

(83:25) Their thirst will be quenched with a wine that is sealed. (83:28) A spring from which those who are in the vicinity [of God] will drink.

(37:45) A cup [filled] from a flowing spring will be passed between them. (35:46) Crystal white, delicious for those who drink [it]. (35:47) It will not cause any harm, nor will they be intoxicated by it.

The fact that God tells us that the wine in paradise won’t cause any harm nor will make people drunk underscores the comparatively negative effects of wine on earth.

1.2. 2:219 : Psychoactive substances are a great sin

 

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن

 

نَّفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

 

(2:219) They ask you (Ô Muhammad) about psychoactive substances (al khamri = drugs, alcohol, tobacco) and games of chance: Say: “There is a great sin in both of them, as well as benefits for the human race; but the sin that comes along with (both of) them is greater than their benefits”. And they ask you what they shall spend in charity. Say: “The surplus”. Thus does God clarify for you [His] verses, so that you may reflect. 

2:219 indicates that all “substances that veil or affect mental faculties” (wine, drugs and tobacco = psychoactive drugs) are both a great sin, but sometimes also contain benefits. The verse emphasizes that their negative effects are greater than their benefits from a societal viewpoint. In other words, they can be beneficial if they are used wisely, but misusing them represents a great sin and danger for the human race.

We all know that drugs, alcohol and cigarettes are a calamity for the entire world. They affect and destroy the mind, they kill, they are directly responsible for numerous heath issues and illnesses; people get addicted to them and they can incite violence and crime. Innocent people die on the road because of drunk drivers and drug addicts. In addition, drugs, alcohol and tobacco cripple financially healthcare systems all around the world.

On the other hand, some drugs are absolutely essential in the medical field to manage pain, and a multitude of health benefits can be derived from them, including alcohol. For instance, Medicinal tinctures are typically based on alcohol because it penetrates very quickly the bloodstream, carrying medicinal substances very effectively. It was fairly recently discovered that cannabis greatly reduces epilepsy seizures (better than any known mainstream medicine), and geneticists even developed cannabis varieties that contain practically no tétrahydrocannabinols (THC) and other psychoactive substances. A lot of people have been cured from cancer by following a protocol based on ingesting cannabis oil (also called Simpson oil), without experiencing the terrible and often lethal side effects associated with chemotherapy. In other words, it is absolutely obvious that God blessed the human race and creation by creating all those plants and substances. Psychoactive substances are like fire: They are an immense blessing if we use them wisely, and they destroy if we don’t.

1.3. 5:90 and 5:91 : Psychoactive substances are an abomination that originates from satan to turn us away from the Quran and the ritual prayer

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ

 

رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

 

(5:90) O you who believe! Verily, psychoactive substances (al khamru = drugs, alcohol, tobacco), games of chance, raised altars, and divination are [nothing but] an abomination that stems from the handiwork of satan. Therefore, avoid him, so that you may prosper.

 

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ

 

وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ

 

(5:91) satan’s sole desire is to cause enmity and hatred among you by means of psychoactive substances (al khamri = drugs, alcohol, tobacco) and games of chance, as well as turn you away from the remembrance of God (the Quran) and the ritual prayer; So, will you not desist?

God enlightens us that satan uses “substances that veil or affect mental faculties” (psychoactive substances), games of chance, etc… to create enmity and hatred among us and to turn us away from the remembrance of God (the Quran) and the ritual prayer. It is not drugs or alcohol as such that are the problem as long as they are used wisely and strictly for therapeutic purposes, but that satan manipulates people to use them when they do not need them, that is to say for recreational use or in a social setting. It is then that the handiwork of satan is the most obvious, and God warns us that satan knows exactly where to strike as people who consume “substances that veil or affect mental faculties” will be gradually pushed to be negligent and eventually abandon the ritual prayer. His goal is to break the bond and reminder that unites us to God. The salât is not mandatory in Islam without any reason, and a person who is not dedicated to perform it on a regular basis and on time is simply not a Muslim according to the Quran (see article “salât in the Quran”). One of the many virtues of the ritual prayer is that it protects us for vice and immorality (29:45). It purifies us (5:6) and keeps us close to the reminder (the Quran). It is absolutely critical never to break that intimate relationship with God, even if a person is temporarily tempted by satan by committing sins and feels bad about himself or herself, or feels depressed as a result. A Muslim is in great danger in those instances and must stay strong and never miss a prayer.

2. Understanding 4:43 in the Quranic context

We know that the word “al khamr” refers to “anything that has a psychoactive effect on the brain” such as drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The word “sukârâ” (“intoxicated”, in the plural form) is also used in 4:43 to refer to the consumption of psychoactive substances and some people occasionally distort the meaning of the verse to try to justify their acts, even though the general context of the Quran is crystal clear that a Muslim shall not consume any psychoactive substances for recreational use:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ

 

وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ

 

جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا 

 

طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

 

(4:43) O you who believe, do not observe the ritual prayer if you are intoxicated until you understand what you are saying, nor if (you are) impure, unless you are on the road – (and wait) until you wash yourself. And if you are sick or on a journey, and any of you went to the restroom, or had intimate relationships with women, and you do not find water (according to God’s revelation we normally wash with water), touch clean soil and wipe your faces and hands. In truth, God is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.

We just saw in 5:91 that satan entices people to consume psychoactive substances to keep them away from the Quran and the salât and 4:43 shows us that a person is not allowed to pray when intoxicated until he or she understands what he or she is saying. Some people try to shy away from the truth by claiming that this verse proves that it is permissible to consume alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes in moderation since they are still allowed to pray in that case. In other words, they claim that it is not prohibited in small quantities. It is immediately evident that such an interpretation blatantly contradicts the teachings of the Quran when you take the time to look at the big picture and reconcile all relevant verses on the subject.

Psychoactive substances (al khamr = drugs, alcohol, tobacco) are:

- (1) a great sin (إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ = ithmoun kabîroun, 2:219).

- (2) an abomination that stems from the handiwork of satan (5:90).

- (3) a scheme that satan uses to create enmity and hatred among people by means of psychoactive substances (5:91).

- (4) a conspiracy to turn believers away from the remembrance of God (the Quran) and the ritual prayer (5:91).

- (5) It is forbidden to perform the ritual prayer when people are intoxicated to the point that they do not understand what they are saying (4:43).

- (6) 35:47 implies that the consumption of alcohol on earth is harmful and intoxicates people.

Claiming that it is permitted to consume psychoactive substances, even in moderation, is the equivalent of claiming that it is permitted to commit a great sin (2:219) and ignore God’s unequivocal warnings and indulge yourself to the very things that satan uses as a weapon and scheme to destroy people in so many ways (5:90, 5:91). Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.

There are two reasons why God does not specifically forbid to a person who consumed a small quantity of alcohol or other psychoactive drugs to pray:

- It bears witness to God’s immense love and mercy as He repeatedly gives a chance to those who allow themselves to be tempted by satan to come back in God’s path and purify themselves. Performing your prayer on time throughout the day is a lifestyle that is simply incompatible with a recreational consumption of psychoactive substances. God wants us to be in full possession of our mental faculties to glorify Him, understand and infuse ourselves with His Glorious Word, the Holy Quran.

- The second reason is that a Muslim can be temporarily or permanently forced to take a small quantity of drugs or alcohol in order to treat a serious medical condition and has every reason and right to continue to perform his prayer in such an unfortunate situation. A person who suffers from chronic pain should in my view be allowed to smoke Marijuana for instance (as long as no better option is available), as it is a way to alleviate pain almost instantly in most cases, and with much less side effects than opioids which are currently one of the main causes of addiction and death in America.

Conclusion:

The root « khamara »  signifies to cover, hide, veil, ferment and the word « al khamr » (الْخَمْر) designates all “substances that affect mental faculties”, which is why it has been translated in this study as  “psychoactive substances”.

(2:219) They ask you (Ô Muhammad) about psychoactive substances (al khamri = “substances that veil or affect mental faculties” ) and games of chance: Say: “There is a great sin in both of them, as well as benefits for the human race; but the sin that comes along with (both of) them is greater than their benefits”. And they ask you what they shall spend in charity. Say: “The surplus”. Thus does God clarify for you [His] verses, so that you may reflect. 

(5:90) O you who believe! Verily, psychoactive substances (al khamri = drugs, alcohol, tobacco), games of chance, raised altars, and divination are [nothing but] an abomination that stems from the handiwork of satan. Therefore, avoid him, so that you may prosper.

(5:91) satan’s sole desire is to cause enmity and hatred among you by means of psychoactive substances (al khamri = drugs, alcohol, tobacco) and games of chance, as well as turn you away from the remembrance of God (the Quran) and the ritual prayer; So, will you not desist?

The recreational use of substances that “veil” or alter the brain’s faculties in general are harâm (forbidden) because God alerts us that it is:

- (1) a great sin (إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ = ithmoun kabîroun, 2:219).

- (2) an abomination that stems from the handiwork of satan (5:90).

- (3) a scheme that satan uses to create enmity and hatred among people (5:91).

- (4) a conspiracy to turn believers away from the remembrance of God (the Quran) and the ritual prayer (5:91).

- (5) It is forbidden to perform the ritual prayer while intoxicated to the point of not understanding what you are saying (4:43).

- (6) 35:47 implies that the consumption of alcohol on earth is harmful and intoxicates people.

Whoever claims that “substances that veil or affect mental faculties” (drugs, alcohol and tobacco) are permissible in small quantities is the same as claiming that it is permissible to commit a “great sin” (2:219) that opens the door to allow satan to affect us in multiple ways (5:90, 5:91). Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.

The ultimate goal of satan all along our life is to destroy us and turn us into disbelievers using every possible means (4:119, 7:17). He knows all human beings weaknesses. He knows exactly where to strike, and especially that psychoactive substances gradually lead people to be negligent and finally abandon the ritual prayer. It is the most important ritual together with zakât as it defines who is a Muslim and who is not. It keeps our relationship with God and the Quran constantly alive; it purifies us (5:6) and keeps us away from vice and immoral acts (29:45). This is why it is mandatory to perform the salât without fail and on time (they cannot be grouped or performed later, see article “salât in the Quran”). A person who stops praying is no longer a Muslim. Period, end of story. He or she then becomes an easy prey for satan whose sole and miserable purpose in life is to drag us to hell.

A Muslim’s purpose in life is not to “joke around”, and we all bear a great responsibility to represent Islam and behave with dignity. We have no other choice but to submit unconditionally to God and stay away from what is proscribed in the Quran for the rest of our lives.

On the other hand, God informs us that “substances that veil or affect mental faculties” (psychoactive drugs) also have benefits (2:219), and taking for example a very small quantity of cough syrup containing alcohol to heal a cold is permissible because the intention is not to get drunk or “get high” but to heal yourself. The same is valid for any wise use of drugs and alcohol to treat a medical condition, preferably under medical supervision.

In rare cases, some people have to rely on some psychoactive drugs temporarily or for a long time, for instance to alleviate chronic pain that would otherwise be unbearable; the Quran is fully detailed, provides answers for everything and definitely permits them to perform the mandatory ritual prayers as long as they understand what they say (4:43). If someone is intoxicated to the point of not understanding what he says, it is then forbidden to perform the prayer (4:43).

The ravages and cost of drugs, alcohol and tobacco in the society and the fact that satan uses them as dangerous and addictive weapons to prey on people to try to turn them into disbelievers are the very reason why the Quran prohibits them (5:90-91). Too many human beings ruin their lives and are unable to fulfill their God given potential because psychoactive substances (al khamr) destroy their minds and health and keep them away - often permanently - from the path of God.

 

Article published on 4/22/2017