Prohibition of Alcohol

It has already been mentioned that alcohol was consumed heavily in Arabia. As a matter of fact, drinking had become a part of the national characteristics of the Arabs. No gathering was deemed complete without alcohol. As a matter of fact, among particular types of people, special times had been appointed when they would gather and intoxicate themselves. Due to his purity in nature, although the Holy Prophet(sa) had never consumed alcohol himself, and abstained from this ill-habit even prior to his prophethood, and various Companions had also refrained from its usage from the very beginning, until then, since alcohol had not been forbidden religiously, many people from among the Companions would drink. At times, the ill-effects of drinking would also manifest themselves among the Companions. As such, there is a narration in the Aḥādīth that on one occasion, in a state of intoxication, Ḥaḍrat Ḥamzah(ra) slaughtered the camels of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alī(ra), and when the Holy Prophet(sa) went to admonish him, he did not recognize the Holy Prophet(sa) either and dealt with him in a manner of disregard.1 Similarly, it is narrated that during a feast, one Companion happened to drink too much alcohol, due to which, when he stood up to lead the people of the gathering in Ṣalāt, in his recitation aloud, he incorrectly recited certain verses of the Holy Qur’ān.2 Due to incidents of this nature, various Companions, among whom the name of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra) has been recorded particularly, tossed and turned in anxiety, desiring a conclusive verdict with regards to drinking. However, although the Holy Prophet(sa) himself considered this habit to be very unpleasant and harmful, since a divine injunction had not been revealed in this respect, the Holy Prophet(sa) could do nothing.

Finally, after the battle of Uḥud, to the end of 3 A.H. or in the beginning of 4 A.H., a divine revelation was sent down whereby drinking was categorically declared unlawful in Islām.3 The open-heartedness and pleasure with which the honourable Companions accepted this commandment of prohibition is a very interesting example of the spiritual influence which had been impressed upon their hearts by the blessed company of the Holy Prophet(sa). There is a narration related by Anas bin Mālik(ra) in the Aḥādīth, that when the injunction on the prohibition of alcohol was revealed, the Holy Prophet(sa) instructed that it should be announced and then he instructed a Companion to walk the streets and alleys of Madīnah and proclaim this order. Anas(ra) relates:

“At the time, I was serving alcohol to Abū Ṭalḥah Anṣārī(ra) and a few other Companions in a home, when we heard the voice of this herald. Abū Ṭalḥah said, ‘Find out what this person is announcing.’ Upon further investigation, I found that alcohol had been prohibited. When I returned and conveyed this news to the people of the gathering, as soon as he heard this news, Abū Ṭalḥah(ra) instructed me, ‘Stand up and pour away these barrels of alcohol on the ground.’”4

Anas(ra) relates that on that day one could see alcohol flowing throughout the streets of Madīnah.5 Moreover, in another narration, recorded in this very chapter of Bukhārī, it is related that upon hearing the cry of this herald no one thought of investigating whether the hearald was telling the truth or speaking falsehood; rather, everyone pulled back their hand immediately, and abstained from drinking in an instant.6 To immediately abandon the habit of drinking, and such a habit which was ingrained in the very nature of the Arabs, and then to abandon it at such a time when a round of alcohol was being shared and the ones consuming it were in a state of intoxication, is such a magnificent example of self-control as cannot be found in the history of the world.

It is also worthy to note, as indicated in various narrations of Bukhārī, that although the injunction on the categorical prohibition of alcohol was revealed after the battle of Uḥud, certain Qur’ānic verses had still been revealed on this subject, wherein the evil of alcohol had been alluded to. As such, it is narrated that the very first verse which was revealed regarding alcohol was that, “No doubt there are certain benefits of alcohol, but the harms associated with it outweigh the gains.”7 Upon this, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra), who was perhaps most passionate from among all the Companions for the prohibition of alcohol, supplicated, “O God! Grant us a more categorical commandment on the issue of drinking.” Upon this, the following verse was revealed, “O ye believers! Do not stand for Ṣalāt when you are in a state of intoxication.”8 At this, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra) supplicated again, “O God! Send down a categorical injunction,” finally upon which the following verse was revealed: “O ye who believe! alcohol and the game of chance are vile and harmful actions, by which Satan desires to create animosity and enmity between you, and divert your attention from God and Ṣalāt; so abstain therefrom.”9 When this verse was revealed, the Muslims were satisfied and considering alcohol to be absolutely forbidden, they began to abstain from it.10 As a matter of fact, after this they developed such a distance from alcohol that they began to feel anxiety with regards to the outcome of those Muslims who partook in the battle of Uḥud, whilst having consumed alcohol. Upon this, the verse was revealed that there is no blame on people for what they have consumed prior to its prohibition.11 Therefore, to the end of 3 A.H. or in the beginning of 4 A.H., but in any case, after the battle of Uḥud, drinking was categorically forbidden in Islām, and in the definition of alcohol, all those substances were deemed to be inferred which cause intoxication and place a veil upon the human faculty of sense.12 In this manner, the Holy Prophet(sa) struck an axe upon that evil which may truly be referred to as the ‘mother of all evils.’

At this place, we need not engage in a debate as to the nature of drinking from a logical perspective. The Qur’ān has itself accepted that there are certain benefits in alcohol as well, but that its harms outweigh the benefits. Fundamentally speaking, human logic cannot shed any greater light on this issue. It is also pleasing to note that after thousands of years of bitter experience, the world is coming towards the very same reality which Islām brought to light 1350 years ago from today. Societies are being formed in every country to put an end to drinking. As a matter of fact, in the United States of America a law has even been passed against alcohol, and following suit, other countries have also initiated similar movements.