Smoking Part 1

All praise is for Allah We praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide, and whomsoever Allah misguides, none can guide. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, having no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. To proceed: That the most truthful speech is that of Allah's Book and that the best of guidance is that of Muhammad (s.A.w.).

It is evident beyond doubt that smoking is injurious to health and Allah says in the Qur'an:

"And make not your own hands contribute to your destruction" (2:195).

Muslim scholars in the past differed in opinion regarding smoking because of this lack of evidence relating cigarette smoking to disease. Those who considered Makruh (a hated act) regarded this lack of evidence. But since 30 years ago the evidence clearly demonstrates that smoking is injurious to health. The majority of Ahl Sunnah wal-Jama'ah scholars and Jumhur have clearly stated that smoking is Haram, to list a few who wrote on the subject are:

Al-Umm; Imam Shafi'i
Faidhul al-Qadir; al-Ulama' al-Munawa
Fiqh Ala al-Madhab al-Arba'ah; Shaykh AbdurRahman al-Jazairi
Ad-Tadkhina Maadati wa Hukma; Shaykh Abu Bakr Jabir al-Jazairi
Ad-Tadkhina wa Mudharah; Mana' Khalil Qithan
Ad-Tadkhina Maadatuhu wa Hukmuku fil Islam; Shaykh Abdullah Ibn Jabarin
Hukm Sharab ad-Dukhan; al-Ulama' AbdurRahman bin Jasir as-Sa'di
al-Fataawa fi Hukm Sharab; Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibrahim
Ghayatu al-Murami; Shaykh Muhammad Nasiruddin Al-Baani
ar-Risalah illa Kulli Mudhkan; Shaykh Sulayman bin Muhammad al-Hamidhi
Ad-Tadkhina Waasrahu ala Sihati; Shaykh Muhammad Ali al-Barr
Naasihah al-Insaani; Shaykh Muhammad al-'Aini

These are quotes from some scholars. Please note that they made the statements based on the evidences from the Qur'an and as-Sunnah which are not presented here:-

Shaykh Abu Bakr Jabir al-Jazairi a Professor in Islamic University of Madinah and a famous teacher in Masjid an-Nabawi has clearly explained the 'Hukm' of smoking derived from the Qur'an and the Sunnah:

"Anything that harms the human body is Haram"
"The consensus (Ijma') of Ulama', prohibits the act of destroying property unnecessarily or using it not for the path of Shara' as in the case of smoking"
"Bringing harm to others is Haram and so does smoking"
"It is clear that Shara' condemns smoking as a disgraceful and damaging act. Smoking is an act of sins and it is wrong for it is Haram and it is Wajib to abstain from it."

Ibn Hajr in his 'Fath al-Mubin' gave 2 points why smoking is Haram in Islam:

The act leads to harmful effects, whether noticed or unseen.
It will cause the body to suffer.

The Prophet (s.A.w.) said: "Do not hurt yourselves nor injure others" (Related by Ahmad & Ibn Majah)

Shaykh Muhammad al-'Aini states in "Fatwa Shraba ad-Dukhan" (8-10), that smoking is prohibited due to these 4 'Usul' (principles):

indulging in anything which causes harm to the health, is Haram.
Ittifaq (agreed) by Fuqaha of Salaf (early Muslims) and Khalaf (later Muslims) that smoking is Haram.
The bad smell which smoking produces, disturbs others: humans and angels alike.
Smoking can be addictive & wasteful and from these reasons alone it can be considered Haram already, based on the ruling from the principles of Shari'ah' and rational (Ma'qul).

Shaykh Mahmuud Syaltuut, a former Dean in University of al-Azhar wrote:

"The dangers of smoking are clear. Once you quit smoking, the person becomes 'muftir' (drowsiness, tiredness as explained in a Hadith from Imam Ahmad that acts that will lead to 'muftir' are prohibited). Furthermore, smoking is usually unpleasant to others, it leads to lung cancer and leads to the wasting of one's property (as had been prohibited by the Prophet (s.A.w))."

Shaykh Muhammad 'Abduh a known reformer of Islam introduced the principle of:

"The security & well being of the physical health is more important than the well being of religion."
"Preventing the disease is better than treating it."

Professor Ahmad Shalabi a famous writer in Islam makes it clear that:

"Smoking will lead to diseases and this is Haram; furthermore it creates economic hardships for the family or the society which will compromise the funding and Maslahah of the family & society."

Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradhawi a well known Da'i and scholar in Islam states:

"Every Muslim are not allowed to eat, drink or smoke (inhale) something which could lead to their death whether it be instantly or in a long period of time."
"According to the methodology of the Shari'ah, smoking is prohibited."

Al-Allamah AbdurRahman Nasir as-Sa'di from his works:

"Every things which inflict harm to the servant of Allah affecting the Deen or the body or the property without any benefit, is definitely Haram."

Sulayman Bujayrmi, a Shafi'i scholar in the 18^th. Century says:

"Whatever harms the body or mind is unlawful, from which the unlawfulness of the well known tobacco is known."

Evidence relating to the prohibition of cigarette smoking are derived from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, through the methodology of Usul Fiqh with the true spirit of the Shari'ah. Many scholars clarified this by giving Fataawa's and writings from the time of as-Shafi'i (200 H), Ibn Taimiyyah (700 H), Hassan al-Banna (1400 H) until now.

The Prophet (s.A.w.) said: "Refrain from harming your own soul, and follow not its whims into the disobedience of God."

And the last of our prayers:

"Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour & Power! He is better from what they ascribe to Him! Peace be upon the Messengers! Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds." (37:180-182)

Muhammad Afifi,

Belfast. 17 January 1996.