Articles

The Islamic Perspective on Drugs
Author : Dr. Mohammad Al-Zou`bi
Date Added : 21-10-2024

 

All praise is due to Allah, Who created all of creation to worship Him, and placed reason within them to know Him, and bestowed upon them His blessings, both apparent and hidden, so that they may be grateful. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgment.

Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper." [Al-Ma`idah/90].

In His Book, the Quran, Allah, The Exalted, has forbidden wine and cursed the one who drinks it, serves it, carries it, or has it carried to him. It is the mother of all evils and the root of all wickedness. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Wine is the mother of all evils, and whoever drinks it, Allah will not accept his prayer for forty days. And if he dies with it in his stomach, he will die the death of one belonging to the Days of Ignorance/Pre-Islamic times." [At-Tabari]. Indeed, Islamic law has prohibited alcohol to ward off harm from humans and to protect religion, intellect, self, and wealth. If the reason for prohibiting alcohol is intoxication and the harm it causes, then any substance that leads to the loss of reason and causes intoxication takes on the same ruling. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Every intoxicant is wine, and every intoxicant is forbidden." [Moslim].

Therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) affirms in this hadith that whatever causes the same effect as wine is also prohibited. Consequently, drugs and intoxicants of all kinds, which have a more severe and harmful impact on the body and mind than wine, are also prohibited based on the Sharia rulings that prohibit wine.

Drugs uncover the sins of a person, reveal secrets, and plunge their user into a world of sin. Drugs are a fast track to vice, a path that shatters all prohibitions. They tear away modesty and extinguish the flame of jealousy from hearts. Drugs are a slow suicide, a destruction of the soul, and a ruin of the body. They offer a poisoned present and an uncertain future, leading either to suicide or imprisonment. Allah, The Exalted Says (What means): "And do not kill yourselves, indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you." [An-Nisa/29].

O Allah, how many lives have been lost, how many families have been torn apart, how many honors have been tarnished, how many minds have been impaired, and how much wealth has been squandered because of these poisons. O Allah, how many mothers and fathers have wept due to these poisons. How many wives have been widowed, and how many children have been orphaned, with fathers complaining and mothers weeping, wives bewildered, and children lost. O Allah, how much poverty and humiliation have these poisons brought, and how many blessings have they denied. O Allah, how much sorrow, regret, misfortune, and premature death have these poisons caused. Truly, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was truthful when he said: "Do not drink alcohol, for it is the key to all evil." [Ibn Majah].

A drug user is corrupting both their religion and body, committing a crime against themselves, their family, and society. They are toying with their dignity and the essence of their humanity. When their mind is absent, they forget their Lord and forget themselves, becoming like animals, if not more misguided. They may kill, steal, or sell themselves, their honor, and their wealth for the sake of a pill or a dose of intoxicants.

Young people in the prime of their lives have been lost, or they remain a burden on their families and communities. They could have been constructive elements contributing to the development of their nations, striving for the happiness of their families, building their countries, and raising the dignity of their relatives. Instead, drugs have turned them into harmful creatures that destroy rather than build, causing harm, showing no regard for morality, religion, or honor.

The horrific crimes that result from drug use send chills down the spine and are beyond imagination; their atrocities are too terrible to describe. They serve as a warning signal that necessitates our awareness and caution regarding these dangers, urging us to protect our children from the threats posed by drugs.

Therefore, my dear youth, take care of yourselves for the sake of Allah. Actually, you are facing dangerous conspiracies, criminal gangs, fierce attacks, and malicious, hostile plans launched by your enemy through all means. They use cunning methods, hidden deadly weapons, and alluring names to deceive you into thinking that these substances bring happiness, excitement, enhance memory, and help with studying. However, in reality, they are poisons aimed at destroying the most precious asset of this nation: its intellect. These poisons pollute minds and corrupt thoughts. They are tools that aim to undermine the morals of this nation, and its beating heart—its men of tomorrow and the builders of its civilization.

Therefore, be aware, O youth of the nation, and beware of bad companions, those weak in character and devoid of dignity. Drugs are not something to be experimented with; for one pill may be your end, one pill may lead you to addiction, one pill may be enough to ruin your life and future, and one pill may drag you into prisons or rehabilitation centers.

Beware of bad company, for the Prophet (PBUH) said: "A person follows the religion of his close friend, so one should consider whom they befriend.” [Ibn Al-Subki in Tabaqat Al-Shafi'iyyah]. Do not let yourselves become slaves to drugs, driven by a fleeting thrill or momentary pleasure, only to become captives in the hands of dealers and corruptors. The pleasures will vanish, but the regrets will remain. The fleeting desires will fade, but the tears will endure.

The dealers of these poisonous substances, the corrupters on earth, care only about making a profit. Their concern is to drive luxurious cars, to build lavish mansions. They do not care who the victim is. They have no regard for young people in the prime of their lives who have destroyed themselves and their futures. They are indifferent to the tears of a grieving mother watching her child fall prey to drugs. They care nothing for religion, morals, honor, or country. These killers, these corrupters on earth, have stripped themselves of their religion and humanity.

It is our duty to stand in their way because the fight against drugs is a collective responsibility. It does not rest solely on the shoulders of security forces, although we pray for their success and guidance in their work. They risk their lives day and night to protect us, our land, and our nation from this scourge. The responsibility also falls on each one of us. You stand on a crucial front for your nation, so do not allow harm to come from your side.

Drug dealers see schools and universities, where young men and women gather, as fertile grounds for spreading their poison and promoting their merchandise. They set their traps to lure their prey toward destruction and loss. So, be vigilant and cautious of this danger.

These poison dealers are tantamount to a malicious hand, which must be severed, reaching out to our children. Moreover, drugs are a chronic disease that must be eradicated, and this can only be achieved through the collective efforts of all—fathers, mothers, schools, universities, the media, institutions, seminars, and lectures. Together, we must fortify our society and families against this dangerous plague and lethal poison. Allah speaks the truth when He Says (What means): "O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded." [At-Tahrim/6].

We ask Allah to protect our nation and leader, King Abdullah II, from all harm.

 

 

هذا المقال يعبر عن رأي كاتبه، ولا يعبر بالضرورة عن رأي دائرة الإفتاء العام

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

Generally speaking, I`m dutiful to my mother and opt for obeying her. However, she chose a certain girl to be my future wife, but I`m not pleased with her choice although that girl comes from a good family and enjoys good character. Should I obey my mother or choose another girl that lives up to my expectations?

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

One must obey their parents in whatever is in compliance with the teachings of Sharia and within one`s capacity. However, you aren`t to blame for not marrying that girl, but it is better that you tell your mother about that and it is preferable that you perform Istikharah prayer. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

Is it Permissible to lighten the eyebrows (I.e. Dye them blond)?

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Lightening the eyebrows is applying dye to them, and it is permissible to dye hair with other than black. The proof of this is the Hadith related by Muslim on the authority of Jabir told that when Abu Quhafa (Abu Bakr’s father) was brought on the day of the Conquest of Mecca with his head and beard white like hyssop, the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Change this with something, but avoid black."
However, it isn`t permissible for a Muslim woman to show her ornament (Zeenah) in the presence of non-Mahram men (Men permissible for a woman to marry). And Allah The Almighty Knows Best. 

Is a woman`s voice 'Awrah even when praising the Prophet (PBUH) via satellite channels?

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
 
The Sharia term 'Awrah has two meanings:-
First: `Awrah that invalidates prayer when uncovered, and in this sense a woman`s voice isn`t considered `awrah. Second: `Awrah that causes men to be tempted by women and vice versa. Moreover, if a woman`s voice is soft or alluring, then it is forbidden for her to speak deliberately before strange men. This is because Almighty Allah Says (What means): "O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you), but utter customary speech." [Al-Ahzab/32]. However, a man should avoid listening whatever incites his desires. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

Someone asked me to pay off his debt on his behalf as a loan, without any compensation. When I went to the creditor, he told me that if I paid the full amount at once, rather than in installments, he would give me a certain discount. Is this permissible? And if he applies the discount, to whom does the deducted amount belong?

If part of the debt is paid and the creditor forgives the remaining amount, the waiver is valid, and the remaining debt is no longer the responsibility of the original debtor. The person who paid the debt on behalf of another has no right to claim any portion of the original debt. And Allah Knows Best.