THE DETRIMENTS OF KHAMR (INTOXICANTS)
We praise Alláh for that made permissible for his servants all the good and pure things, and impermissible for all impure and harmful things. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Alláh Alone, having no partner with Him. He has bestowed his great favors and comprehensive bounties on His creatures. I bear witness that Muhammad(pbuh) is Allah’s slave and elected and noble Messenger. May the peace and blessings of Alláh be upon him, his family, his Companions and everyone following in their footsteps.
O people! Fear Alláh and take delight in the good and pure things that Alláh has made permissible for you. Thank Him for this by fulfilling His rights upon you. With gratitude these bounties and favors shall continue and increase. Beware of what Alláh has prohibited you to eat or drink, for if they were any good for you, He would not prohibit them. He only prohibits what is harmful for you in your life and religion to have mercy on you, as He is the Generous One, the Merciful and the Compassionate. For this Alláh(swt) had prohibited all alcoholic and intoxicating beverages. This prohibition was relayed to us through the Book (the Qurán}, the Messenger and the consensus of the Muslim Nation at large. The Messenger of Alláh called these beverages the mother of all vices. He said:
“It is the key for all evil.”
Allah(swt) says:
“An abomination of Shaitan’s (Satan’s) handiwork.” (5:90)
Furthermore, many Ahadith have been narrated stating the prohibition of all alcoholic drinks and warning of their dangers. These narrations also threaten those who drink them. One of these Ahadith is what Anas Ibn Malik narrated saying:
“The Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) cursed ten people who had contact with Khamr (Intoxicants). He cursed the one who extracts it, the one for whom it is extracted, the one who drinks it; the one who carries it, the one to whom it is served, the butler, its seller, the one who benefits from its proceeds, its purchaser, and the one for whom it is purchased.”
All these people are cursed by the Prophet(pbuh), who also said:
“He who drinks alcohol is not a believer at the time of drinking it.”
It was also reported that the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) said:
“He who dies addicted to the intoxicants will meet Alláh (i.e. on Judgement Day) as an idol worshipper.”
He will also be forbidden from drinking the Khamr of the Hereafter as reported in a Hadith:
“He who drinks the intoxicants in this life will be deprived from drinking the Khamr of the Hereafter.”
The Alcoholic will not enter Paradise, as reported in another Hadith saying:
“He who is addicted to the intoxicants shall not enter Paradise.”
The Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) also said:
“Alláh has vowed to make the drinker of intoxicants drink from Tinat al Khabaal.” It was asked: “What is Tinat al Khabaal?” He(pbuh) said: “It is the sweat of the dwellers of the Fire or their puss mixed with blood. He who drinks the intoxicants will have his prayer rejected for forty days.”
Khamr is a name for every thing that intoxicates and dulls or excites the mind and faculties of man, regardless of its type or given name. The scholars of Sharia, the physicians, the psychologists, and the scientists attributed many disadvantages, harms and detriments to drinking intoxicants. The first and most important one is that it averts man from remembering Allah(swt) and performing his prayers. Being addictive, it makes man cling to it and not do anything else except that. Even when he is not drinking at that moment, yet his heart is attached and occupied by its awe. The second harmful matter attributed to intoxicants is the harsh punishment and warning that Allah(swt) has threatened the drinker with. Medically, a lot of harmful things could happen to drinkers, such as stomach problems, fitness problems especially when they develop metabolic problems that are related to the body’s chemistry. That is why you see a lot of the drinkers with big stomachs. Many drinkers get old early and some of them develop cirrhosis and intestinal ulcers. Moreover, sorne of them become sterile.
These are some of the physical harms that may occur to those who indulge in intoxicants. As for the psychological adverse effects of drinking, they can be summed up in the following: weakening of the intellectual ability, depression and terrible thoughts, insanity, paranoia and the desire for committing suicide. Drinkers do not behave normally amongst each other. They often fight and sometimes become dangerous psychopaths with the urge to hurt others regardless of their situation, whether they are under the influence or sober. Many of them fall into sinning easily, which means that drinking makes them lose their morality and self-control. That is why many of them have fallen into al! kinds of sinning such as: fornication, sodomy and other major sins. Prophet(pbuh) who called the intoxicants the mother of all sins, and “the key of all evil.” Intoxicants hurt the drinker financially as well as because he spends every penny he earns on nurturing this detrimental habit. Thus, when he runs out of money, he becomes willing to do anything and sell any of his possessions, even his honor if he must, just to quench his thirst for this poison. The modern non-Islamic countries realized the dangers of the intoxicants and waged a war against them. They have established many special agencies to enlighten their people about the dangers of drinking and indulging in any intoxicating materials and then impress upon them to quit and keep away from these substances for the harmful moral, social and financial effects they have. However, Islam has warned against these substances for a long time. It even prescribed certain punishment in this life and the Hereafter for indulging in them. All Muslims are now aware of this punishment as stated in a Hadith that the Prophet(pbuh) had said:
“If he gets drunk, lash him; if he gets drunk again, lash him; and if he gets drunk (a third time), lash him. Then if he gets drunk a fourth time, kill him.”
When the intoxicants were first forbidden, the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) ordered all the containers and barreIs of wine to be broken and poured on the streets of AI-Medina. ‘Umar also burned the house of a man whose name was Ruwayshid (Little pious one), who used to sell wine from his home. ‘Umar called him and said to him: “You are not Ruwayshid. Rather you are Fuwaysiq (Little criminal) Hashish is one of the intoxicants. It is even worse in terms of adulterating the intellect, and the morality of the abuser. He will display signs of femininity and lack of jealousy. Thus aman, who is addicted to hashish, loses his masculinity, jealousy and even his sexual prowess. May Alláh save us all from perversion in our behavior and ethics, and from the wickedness of our deeds and desires. May Alláh protect us from the defects and diseases of our hearts. O Alláh! Guide us all to repent and regret our sins, and to return to You!
“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansáb, and Al-Azldm (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitán’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order
that you may be successful. Shaitán (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salát (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain? And obey Alláh and the Messenger (Muhammad (pbuh)), and beware (of even coming near to drinking or gambling or Al-Ansdb, or Al-Azlám) and fear AIHih. Then if you turn away, you should know that it is Our Messenger’s duty to convey (the Message) in the clearest way.” (5:90-92)
May Allah(swt) bless us all with His Book and benefit us with its Áyat and wisdom. By this, I conclude my speech and ask Alláh(swt) to forgive all our wrongdoings. So seek His forgiveness as He is the All Forgiving Most Merciful.
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