Alcohol in Islam

Allah swt says in the Quran(5:90-91)

“ you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah ], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?”

Alcohol or wine, without any doubt, is among those intoxicants mentioned in the Quran by Allah swt. Its harmful effects are known by whole world that’s why only small amount of alcohol consumption is socially acceptable in non-Islamic societies. However, Prophet(pbuh) strictly ordered Muslims not to take even a sip of it. Prophet(pbuh) said

“Anything which intoxicates in large quantities, is prohibited even in small amount” [Ibn Majah Book 30, 3392]

Alcohol consumption leads to loss of senses which then leads to physical or verbal abuse by the drinker to other people of society. It ultimately leads to the greater sins plus it takes a person from the remembrance of Allah swt and distracts a person from worshipping Allah swt. Muslims used to drink alcohol and use to miss-pronounce the Quranic words(such that there meanings changed) till the following Ayah was revealed by Allah swt (4:43)

“O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying …”

Strict instructions and guidelines have been given both by Allah swt and Prophet(pbuh) to those Muslims who consume alcohol.

Prophet(pbuh) said, “If anyone consumes ‘khamr’ (intoxicants), Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty days, but if he repents Allah will forgive him. If he repeats the offence Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty days, but if he repents Allah will forgive him. If he again repeats the offence Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty days, but if he repents Allah will forgive him. If he repeats it a fourth time Allah will not accept prayer from him for  forty days, and if he repents Allah will not forgive him, but will give him to drink of the river of the fluid flowing from the inhabitants of Hell."

[At-Trimdhi 3643]

He(pbuh) also 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.” [Muslim 4692]

Apart from above Ahadith, The consumers of Alcohol have also been forbidden Paradise.

Prophet(pbuh) said, “An undutiful son, a gambler, one who casts up what he has given, and one who is addicted to wine will not enter  Paradise. [At-Trimdhi  3653]

So strictly it has been ordered to Muslims to not to consume alcohol even prophet(pbuh) ordered all those who process the alcohol to be under curse of Allah. Allah's Messenger (saws) invoked the curse of Allah on ten people in connection with wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought. [reported by Anas ibn malik]

Muslims should avoid alcohol in this world, even if it is soothing for the sake of  Allah swt, because in Jannah, pious Muslims will be presented with harmless wine. Allah swt says about this in Quran(56:15-19)

“On thrones woven [with ornament], Reclining on them, facing each other. There will circulate among them young boys made eternal, With vessels, pitchers and a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring, No headache will they have therefrom, nor will they be intoxicated”

So it’s just a short life, If we are patient, we can have the rewards of Jannah as well as Pleasure of Allah swt as well. According to some scholars, Allah swt will Himself, with His own Hands, give the wine to drink to people of Jannah and He will say, “oh my servant, you did not drink in the world because of me and today you shall drink it from My Hands”.  SubhanAllah!!!

Jahanzaib Jamshed