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World No Tobacco Day and Islam’s Position On Smoking, By Murthada Gusau

Servants of Allah! Since smoking became known to Muslims, all of the great scholars who have the capability of Ijtihad (deriving verdicts in new situations) agree to its prohibition. Thus, there is no value for baseless opinions, conflicting with this, provided by self-proclaimed lesser scholars.

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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Verily, all praise is for Allah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah; He is alone without any partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.” [Surah Ali Imran, 3:102]

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship) Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.” [Surah al-Nisa’, 4:1]

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (Pbuh) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hellfire and made to enter Paradise).” [Surah al-Ahzab, 33:70-71]

As to what proceeds:

Verily the best of speech is the Book of Allah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (Pbuh). The worst of affairs are the newly-invented affairs in the religion and every newly invented affair in the religion is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and all misguidance is in the hellfire.

As to what proceeds:

Servants of Allah! Every year, on May 31, the World Health Organisation and it’s partners mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), highlighting the health and additional risks associated with tobacco use, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2017 was “Tobacco – a threat to development.” But sadly, the world forgot or refuses to recognise that to protect the human life and health, Islam prohibited tobacco/cigarettes smoking 1438 years ago.

My people! As the world marked this year’s World No Tobacco Day, reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that Tobacco use kills more than seven million people annually and costs over $1.4 trillion in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity.

Brothers and Sisters! Tobacco was discovered by Spanish sailors on American shores at about 1500 CE (900 AH). Since its discovery, the epidemic of smoking has continued to spread all over the world. In our times, one seldom finds a house not afflicted by it. As early as the Seventeenth Century, the European countries realised the dangers of smoking and fought against it. Laws were ordained in England, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and other countries, prohibiting smoking and punishing violators.

Here in Nigeria, it’s reported that the present Nigerian Health Minister, Mr. Isaac Adewole, has announced nine rules and regulations in the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act that would be implemented by the federal government.

And we must thank the former president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan for signing into law The National Tobacco Control Act in 2015.

Health minister, Mr. Isaac Adewole, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, was reported to have said that the implementation of the tobacco control Act had been slow because its regulations require the further approval of the National Assembly.

Dear Brothers and Sisters! Nowadays, the Western countries continue their attempts to protect their people from the harms of smoking. They employ the means of the media, ordain laws and regulations, and apply other methods to discourage people from smoking. Because of that, the rate of smokers has declined to a certain degree in those countries.

Servants of Allah! Smoking was introduced to the Muslim countries by the Europeans around 1000 AH. Its spread among the Muslims was similar to that in the West. The unfortunate fact, however, is that in Muslim countries, no similar concrete measures were exerted to protect the people from it. To the contrary, the media continues to advertise smoking and encourage people to use cigarettes. This has caused the epidemic of smoking to continue to spread in those countries to such an extent that it has become hard to control. Smoking has become the rule, and abstaining from it the exception. Often, people look with astonishment and disdain at persons who decline when cigarettes are offered to them.

Today, in some places, offering cigarettes to guests has become among the first rules of hospitality. Anyone who does not offer these to his guests or insist on them smoking would be violating the ethics of hospitality and generosity!

Furthermore, some of those who pretend to represent the Religion are among the worst addicts to smoking. When they are reproached or reminded of their vice, they respond by providing weak excuses to justify this in the name of Islam. They slyly remark that there is no clear Nass (text) prohibiting smoking. Therefore, they conclude, smoking is not prohibited, but is only makruh (disliked), which is a lie. By this, they provide a poor excuse for the ignorant, and establish a very bad example for others.

Such statements have influenced many Muslims, causing them to fall into the snares of addiction to smoking. This is observed all over the world. A striking example is that all American airlines now prohibit smoking, even on most international flights; on the other hand, for some Muslim airlines, sometime one travels in a state of near-suffocation, even on short trips, because of the high number of smokers.

Thus, it becomes incumbent to put together a sermon which provides evidence concerning the ruling of smoking in Islam. I hope that this will benefit our Muslim brothers and sisters; and I ask Allah to accept it from me as a sincere deed for His pleasure.

My respected people! Smoking refers to the action of lighting a cigarette, a pipe, a cigar, a water pipe, or any other object made from tobacco or materials of similar effects. The object is then sucked on with the lips to extract smoke. This smoke is inhaled into the chest and then exhaled from the nose and mouth as a thick white smoke.

“Smoking” is now used to refer to the action of producing this smoke in English, Arabic, and other languages.

Servants of Allah! There are many reasons, any one of which is sufficient to rule smoking as prohibited. Most importantly, it is harmful in numerous ways. It is harmful to the religion, health, environment, family, brotherhood and social relations, property, etc. The following sections will briefly outline some of its harms and evils.

Smoking spoils a person’s acts of worship and reduces their rewards. For instance, it spoils the prayer, which is the pillar of Religion. Allah’s Messenger (Pbuh) said:

“Whoever eats garlic or onion, let him avoid us and our mosque, and stay in his home. The angels are surely hurt by things that hurt the human beings.” (Buhari and Muslim from Jabir and other Companions)

Those with clean and undefiled fitrah (nature) have no doubt that the smell emanating from the mouth of a smoker is worse and more foul than that from the mouth of one who ate garlic or onion. Thus, a smoker is in between two options, either to harm the praying people and the angels with his foul smell, or to miss the prayer in congregation (Jama’ah).

Smoking also spoils fasting. Fasting is very hard for the smoker. As soon as the day is over, he hastens to break his fast on an evil cigarette, instead of sweet dates or pure water. Even if he fasts through the month of Ramadan, a smoker is reluctant to fast on other days. Thus he loses the great reward of those who fast even one day in Allah’s way.

No one can deny the harm of smoking to the human body. The medical evidence for this is well established and overwhelming. Because of this, the law in the United States and many other countries requires the inclusion of warnings on any advertisement pertaining to smoking.

Smoking contains poisonous materials, such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic, benzopyrene, etc., that the smoker swallows in small proportions. Their harm accumulates with time to result in a gradual killing of the human organs and tissues.

The hazards of smoking to the health are hard to enumerate. Cancer, tuberculosis, heart attacks, asthma, coughing, premature birth, infertility, infections in the digestive system, high blood pressure, nervousness, mouth and teeth diseases, etc., are among the many health hazards that have been strongly linked to smoking.

These diseases may not appear all at once, however a smoker is most likely to suffer from some of them at some point sooner than later, and his suffering increases as he grows older. Furthermore, statistics have established that the lifespan of smokers are, on the average, ten years less than those of other people.

This is sufficient reason to prohibit smoking. Islam prohibits any action that causes harm to oneself or to other people. Allah says:

“Do not kill yourselves, Allah is indeed merciful to you.” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:29)

And He says:

“Do not cast yourselves, with your own hands, into destruction.” (Surah Al-Baqara, 2:195)

And the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) says:

“No harm may be inflicted on oneself or others.” (Ahmad and Ibn Majah from Ibn Abbas and Ubadah, and authenticated by Albani)

And he says:

“The feet of a human being will not depart, on the day of Judgement, from his standing before his Lord, until he is questioned about five things: his lifetime – how did he pass it, his youth – how did he used it, his wealth – where did he earn it and how did he spend it, and how did he follow what he knew.” (At-Tirmidhi and others from Ibn Mas’ud and authenticated by Albani)

And:

“Whoever consumes poison, killing himself with it, then he will be consuming his poison in the hellfire, and he will abide in it permanently and eternally.” (Bukhari and Muslim from Jabir)

My people! Smoking is also harmful to the human mind and reason. An obvious demonstration of this is that one who is addicted to it passes through periods of severe craving, making it hard for him to think, concentrate, solve a problem, or do any important matter, until he smokes.

When one smokes, his muscles slacken, and he passes through a brief period of delirium that curtains thought. His digestive system is also affected, causing him frequent nervousness and trembling of the hands. He passes through periods of excitability, irritation, and insomnia.

Thus, instead of being Allah’s slave, a smoker becomes a slave to his cigarette. He develops a weak control of his sense and reason. The faculty of reason, clear and unobstructed, is one of Allah’s great bounties and gifts in people. He praised it in numerous places of the Qur’an; and He called on people to use it to see the truth and obey Him in a better way. Allah wants of the believer to be strong and capable of controlling the reigns of his desires. He said:

“Allah wants to let you into His mercy, whereas those who follow the desires want you to drift far away (from the right path).” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:27)

Also, a smoker emits his poison in the faces of his companions, wife, children, and the environment. It is well established that second-hand smoke is almost as dangerous as the first-hand one. Thus, whether they like it or not, a smoker’s associates are forced to inhale smoke and become smokers as well.

In addition to the poisons normally carried in smoke, if a smoker has a contagious disease, such as tuberculosis or influenza, his exhaled smoke and coughing carry the disease to those around him.

Furthermore, a smoker irritates people by the foul smell and poisonous nature of his smoking. If they suffer from asthma or allergies, they are forced to move away from his vicinity. The Prophet (Pbuh) said:

“Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbour.” (Al-Bukhari)

Thus, smoking constitutes a definite harm to other people; this is prohibited, as was indicated in the hadith cited earlier.

Also, a smoker is certainly a bad companion to sit with, as is depicted in the following hadith:

“Verily, the example of a good companion and a bad one is like that of a perfume merchant and a blacksmith: As for the perfume merchant, he would either grant you (some perfume), or you would buy (some perfume) from him, or (in the least) you would get a good smell from him. And as for the blower of the bellows (iron smith), you would either get a foul odour from him, or he would burn your clothes.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Brothers and Sisters! A smoker wastes his wealth on that which harms and has no benefit; he will be asked about his wealth and how he spent it, as has been cited in the hadith earlier. His wealth belongs to Allah, so how would he dare to waste it in disobedience to Him? Allah says:

“And do not entrust to the imprudent ones the possessions that Allah has placed in your charge…” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:5)

And He says:

“And do not waste (your resources) extravagantly. Indeed the Squanderers are the brethren of the devils.” (Surah Al-Isra’, 17:26-27)

And the Prophet (Pbuh) said:

“Allah hates for you three things: gossiping, begging, and wasting money.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Furthermore, there are numerous cases of burnt carpets, furniture, vehicles, and even complete houses and establishments that have resulted from this disastrous vice.

Moreover, smoking is a form of moral decadence. It is most spread among low-class immoral people. It reflects the blind imitation of the non-Muslims. It is mostly consumed in bars, discos, casinos, and other places of sin. A smoker may beg or steal if he does not have the money to buy cigarettes. He is ill-mannered with his friends and family, especially when he misses taking his necessary “dose” at the usual time.

Smoking involves the consumption of an evil substance (khabith). It has a foul smell, foul taste, and is harmful to the body. This is sufficient to prohibit it, because Allah says:

“(The Prophet) who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right, forbid them the doing of what is wrong, make lawful to them the good things of life, prohibit for them the evil things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were (previously) upon them.” (Surah Al-‘Araf, 7:157)

A smoker inhales the smoke that does not give him any nourishment. This is similar to the action of the people of the Hell fire who eat harmful thorny plants. Allah says:
“No food will be there for them but a poisonous thorny plant, which will neither nourish them nor still their hunger.” (Surah Al-Ghashiya, 88:6-7)

A smoker, whether he likes it or not, makes of himself an example for his children and others to follow. He leads them to commit this evil. Actions sometimes have a stronger effect than words. Thus, even if he advises them or forbids them from smoking, his partaking in it provides them with a strong excuse to do so too.

The problem is worse when the smoker is of known piety or knowledge. In such case, his harm becomes more emphasised, because more people take him as a guide and example, and are thus led astray by him. This multiplies his sins and increases his burden.

Also, the majority of good people avoid smoking and stay away from smokers. Therefore, a smoker is forced to stay away from them – at least while he smokes. He puts himself in a selective exile, creating a spiritual distance and hostility between him and good people, and a closeness to evil people. The effects of this become more apparent and acute with time.

Note that this applies equally to any sin that a person commits, small or big.

A smoker despises himself, because he feels that a little cigarette is controlling him. Realising his weakness before desires, this creates in him a feeling of defeat in the face of hardships.

Servants of Allah! Since smoking became known to Muslims, all of the great scholars who have the capability of Ijtihad (deriving verdicts in new situations) agree to its prohibition. Thus, there is no value for baseless opinions, conflicting with this, provided by self-proclaimed lesser scholars.

Brothers and Sisters! In discussing the subject of the prohibition of smoking, there are some important warnings that need to be mentioned:

1. As indicated before, the prohibition of smoking is not restricted to cigarettes, but applies as well to other objects that have similar effects such as cigars, pipes, water-pipes, chewing tobacco or sniffing tobacco, etc.

2. The reasons mentioned above for prohibiting smoking apply as well, and more strongly, to various types of drugs and hashish such as marijuana. These materials have additional problems such as causing drunkenness, death, madness, etc.

3. The prohibition of smoking is not restricted to consuming it, but applies as well to offering it to people, sitting with those who are smoking, or selling it. All of this involves helping people commit sins, which is prohibited, as Allah says:

“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sinning and transgression. And fear and revere Allah; verily, Allah is severe in punishment.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:2)

Also, Allah’s Messenger (Pbuh) said:

“Indeed when Allah prohibits something, he prohibits eating its price (i.e. its money).” (Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Ibn Abbas, authenticated by Albani)

My people! Only few of those addicted to smoking are able to stop it. The reasons for this are many, among which are the following:

1. The addictive nature of the poisonous substances contained in it;

2. Smokers are not totally convinced of its prohibition;

3. They do not have a strong determination to refrain from it;

The following are some suggestions to help a person to stop smoking:

1. Rely on Allah sincerely, with full determination not to return to smoking, in compliance with Allah’s command:

“When you decide on a certain course of action, place your trust in Allah.” (Surah Ali-Imran, 3:159)

2. Stop immediately, instead of claiming it is best to do it gradually. The gradual approach is the way of one who does not trust his determination and the will power that Allah has granted him. Let the example be taken from the Sahabah (Companions) who, as soon as Allah’s command reached them regarding alcohol:

“Will you not then desist?” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:91)

They immediately poured out all the alcohol that they had and said, “We desist our Lord, we desist!” They did this despite the fact that alcohol has a greater addictive power over those who drink it.

3. Avoid the bad company of smokers and smoking environments that are full with the smell of smoke;

4. Change your food diet by abstaining from food and drinks that entice the craving for smoke such as spices, meat, tea, and coffee; and eat a lot of vegetables and fruits;

5. Use medically tested and established procedures to help stop smoking, as directed by physicians, such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, etc.;

6. Expel the secret whispers of Shaytan (Satan) who continuously dictates to the human being that he is weak and incapable of refraining from sinning, as Allah says:

“It is but Satan who instills (into you) fear of his allies; so do not fear them, but fear Me if you are (truly) believers…” (Surah Ali-Imran, 3:175)

And:

“Fight then against the allies of Satan; indeed, Satan’s guile is weak…” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:76)

Brothers and Sisters! Please, for more information about the prohibition of tobacco/cigarette, check out the following important books:

1. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibrahim (rahimahullah);

2. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Bin Nasir as-Sa’adi (rahimahullah);

3. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Baz (rahimahullah);

4. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Muhammad Bin Salih al-Uthaymin (rahimahullah);

5. Hukmul lslami fit-Tadkhin, by Shaykh Muhammad Jamil Zainu;

6. Hukmud Dini fil-Lihyati wat-Tadkhin, by Shaykh Hasan al-Halabi;

7. Smoking and Its Effects on Health, by Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Barr;

8. The Smoke of the Gods: A Social History of Tobacco, by Eric Burns Temple University Press, 2007;

9. Unfiltered: Conflicts over Tobacco Policy and Public Health, by Eric A. Feldman; Ronald Bayer Harvard University Press, 2004;

10. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioural Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General, by U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. United States Public Health Service. Office of the Surgeon General, 2010;

11. The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General“, by Office of the Surgeon General United States. Public Health Service. Office of the Surgeon General, 2014;

12. At What Cost? The Economic Impact of Tobacco Use on National Health Systems, Societies and Individuals : A Summary of Methods and Findings, by The World Bank International Development Research Centre, 2003;

13. “Smoking Prevalence in the United States: Differences across Socioeconomic Groups”, by Goel, Rajeev K, Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 32, No. 2, April 2008.

14. “Risk Beliefs and Smoking Behaviour”, by Viscusi, W. Kip; Hakes, Jahn K, Economic Inquiry, Vol. 46, No. 1, January 2008;

15. Regulating Tobacco, by Robert L. Rabin; Stephen D. Sugarman; Oxford University Press, 2001;

16. “Cigarette Smoking among Adolescents with Alcohol and Other Drug Use Problems”, by Myers, Mark G.; Kelly, John F, Alcohol Research, Vol. 29, No. 3, Fall 2006;

17. Peddling Poison: The Tobacco Industry and Kids, by Clete Snell; Praeger, 2005;

18. Smoking Prevention: The Impact of Shock and Sap Appeal, by Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M, Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, Vol. 94, No. 4, November 2002;

19. :The Food and Drug Administration Kicks the Habit-The FDA’s New Role in Regulation of Tobacco Products”, by Yevtukhova, Olga, American Journal of Law & Medicine, Vol. 35, No. 4, October 1, 2009;

20. “Tobacco Abuse in Pregnancy”, by Oliver, Robert J. Md, PhD, Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, Vol. 17, No. 2, Winter 2002.

21. Smoking and the Workplace: Issues and Answers for Human Resources Professionals. Contributors: William M. Timmins Clark Brighton Timmins; Quorum Books, 1989;

22. Smoking, Health, and Personality. Contributors: H. J. Eysenck; Basic Books, 1965;

23. The Education-Drug Use Connection: How Successes and Failures in School Relate to Adolescent Smoking, Drinking, Drug Use, and Delinquency. Contributors: Jerald G. Bachman, Patrick M. O’Malley, John E. Schulenberg, Lloyd D. Johnston, Peter Freedman, Doan Emily E. Messersmith; L. Erlbaum Associates, 2008;

24. Theory and Practice of Excise Taxation: Smoking, Drinking, Gambling, Polluting, and Driving. Contributors: Sijbren Cnossen; Oxford University Press, 2005;

25. Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in Young Adulthood: The Impacts of New Freedoms and New Responsibilities. Contributors: Jerald G. Bachman, Katherine N. Wadsworth, Patrick M. O’Malley, Lloyd D. Johnston, John E. Schulenberg; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997.

Lastly, I ask, Allah to give us the ability to restrain our desires and to willingly submit ourselves to His will.

Oh Allah, the Almighty, make our country Nigeria safe and the other Muslim countries in general, Oh Lord of the universe, jinn and mankind.

Oh Allah, protect our safety, our Iman and our peace in our native lands and rectify those placed in authority over our affairs (our leaders), and don’t hold us to account for that which the foolish amongst us have done, and protect us from trials, the apparent and hidden.

Oh Allah, show us the truth for the truth and help us to follow it, and show us the falsehood for falsehood and help us to stay away from it, and make Iman most beloved to us and beautify it in our hearts, and make disbelief, lewdness and rebellion most hated to us and make us from those who are guided.

Oh Allah, rectify all our leaders, guide them to that which is good for themselves and to that which is good for us. Oh Allah make them a means for our safety, and make them a means for our word (unity) to be one, and make them a cause for our coming together, Yaa Al-Hayyu (Oh The Ever Living, The One who cannot die), Yaa Al-Qayyum (The Self Sustainer), Yaa Saami’ (The Hearer) of the supplication.

Oh Allah, safeguard our country. Oh Allah, bring ease to the Nigerians from that which they face from sufferings. Oh Allah, give us immediate ease. Oh Allah, give us victory with a happy outcome. Oh Allah make ease for the Nigerians from every difficulty and from every suffering, Oh Hearer of the supplication, Oh Reliever from every distress, Oh answerer of the supplication, Oh Helper of the grieving, Oh ever living, Self Sustaining, Oh Hearer of the supplication, Oh Owner of Loftiness and Nobility!

I ask Allah to assist us in living by the Quran and Sunnah. I pray that He lets us recognise the truth for what it is and helps us to follow it, and that He lets us see falsehood for what it is and helps us to avoid it.

O Allah! Guide us and protect us from the causes of ignorance and destruction! Save us from the defects of ourselves! Cause the last of our deeds to be the best and most righteous! And forgive all of us.

Oh Allah! The Sustainer of Mankind! Remove the illness from our President Muhammadu Buhari, cure his disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant him a cure that leaves no illness.

I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oh Allah! Our Lord and Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the Fire of Jahannam (Hellfire).

I seek protection in the might of Allah and His power from the evil of what President Muhammadu Buhari is experiencing and of what he fear.

Oh Allah! Make every single aspect of our life be for You and in service of Your Creation. Please remove all false intentions that we have.

Oh Allah! save humanity from being its own enemy. Protect Your creation from oppression. Save the people of Nigeria from internal and external oppressors and give them justice. Protect us all from violence, fear and danger, You are our Protector.

Ya Allah! let us love You as You deserved to be loved, and let us fear You as You deserve to be feared, and let us leave this world serving Your creation for Your sake.

Oh Allah! increase us in beneficial knowledge, let this knowledge be with sincerity, not for seeking fame, glory, status, material wealth. Let this knowledge serve Your cause in a way that You accept, and let it benefit humanity.

Oh Allah! please guide our children and all children. They are surrounded by so much temptation and forbidden things. Protect them our Lord from all of the evil influences that are around them. Give them friends who will strengthen their faith and help them stay on the Straight Path. Ameen Ya Rabb!

My respected people! For a Muslim Ramadan is the month in which they can gain maximum blessings and mercy from Allah Almighty and seek forgiveness for whatever sins they have committed. Therefore, prayers, charity, Du’as etc, need to be ensured during the month as these are the means that can help a Muslim achieve the desired objectives.

I pray that Allah Ta’ala allows me and you all to finished this Ramadan with the highest degree of Iman, ameen.

My respected people! Anything good I have said in my today’s Khutbah (Sermon) is from Allah the Almighty, and any mistakes are my own and we seek refuge in Allah from giving wrong advice and from all forms of calamities and fitnah. And I ask Allah’s forgiveness if I stepped beyond bounds in anything I said or I do.

May Allah be praised; and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Messenger Muhammad (Pbuh), and upon his family and Companions.

With this I conclude my Khutbah (Sermon) and ask Allah, the Almighty and the sublime, to forgive all of our sins. So seek his forgiveness, He is all forgiving Most Merciful.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday Sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Ramadan 7, 1438 A.H. (June 2, 2017), By Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau, the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and Alhaji Abdurrahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene Kogi State Nigeria. He can be reached via: +2348038289761

Sudan Scholars – ‘Tobacco Not Allowed in Islam’

Last week, the head of the Sudan Scholars Corporation issued a religious decree banning tobacco.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201701090127.html

Sheikh Mohamed Osman Saleh, head of the Sudanese Scholars Corporation told the state-owned Sudan News Agency (SUNA) last week that tobacco is forbidden in Islam.

The use of tobacco is no less dangerous and evil than the use of drugs, Saleh said.

He demanded the Sudanese security apparatus to combat the cultivation, sale, and use of tobacco in all parts of the country.

Asked about the donation of the North Darfur government of 10,000 tons of tobacco in support of the ruling National Congress Party, the sheikh said that the gift consisted of various in-kind materials. He accused the Sudanese media of highlighting the tobacco item, “for the purpose of creating sensation and chaos”.

In response, former North Darfur government adviser on economic affairs Rashid Ismail told reporters in Khartoum that “the fierce attack against tobacco trade in the country has led to the idea that it is something abnormal”.

According to Ismail, “the recent campaign against tobacco is probably intended to hit the Darfur economy. It will put the livelihoods of 900,000 Darfuris at stake”.

ISIS executes six for selling cigarettes in Mosul

http://www.tobaccojournal.com/ISIS_executes_six_for_selling_cigarettes_in_Mosul.53636.0.html

Islamic extremists executed six men in a public square in Mosul for selling cigarettes, according to ARA News, an independent Syrian news agency.

Smoking in areas controlled by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been banned for years, the news agency said. The men were arrested and put before a Sharia court which sentenced them to death by immediate execution, according to ARA News. The execution by firing squad reportedly was witnessed by hundreds of people.

E-cig or cig, smoking is haraam: Scholars

The latest ‘in thing’ these days is the vaping craze in several countries since it was introduced about five years ago. However, Muslim scholars here have said that vaping and e-cigarettes are stringently prohibited in Islam due to its health implications and because they are a “waste of money”.

Dr Ali Ahmed Mashael, Chief Mufti at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, told Khaleej Times that e-cigarettes are not only forbidden according to Islamic Sharia but are rather a “two-fold sin”.

“Vaping (inhaling and exhaling the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device) is as haraam (forbidden) as regular smoking owing to its harmful effects on the health of smokers and those around them.”

Warning, Dr Mashael said some companies are only interested in making money and disregard that these e-cigarettes can have any negative impact on people’s health as is the case with regular smoking which is haram in Islam.

“The same applies to such e-cigarettes which can be filled with liquids including nicotine, and other harmful substances.”

Some people claim that they resort to e-cigarette to give up regular ones, but that is not acceptable as well, he added. “One should give up smoking with a firm will seeking forgiveness from Almighty Allah for the sin he has been committing.”

Such shift from cigarettes to e-cigarettes is rarely helpful as it sometimes gives options which might be more harmful than regular cigarettes and shisha, Dr Mashael said. “Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was reported as saying: ‘There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm’, and that applies to vaping.”

Prominent scholar Shaikh Yusuf Ali said Muslims are also advised to never waste their money, and the Holy Quran states: ‘Spendthrift people are brothers to devils’.

“When Muslims are prohibited from eating or drinking too much halal (healthy and permissible) foods, how can they be allowed to consume anything harmful?”

Renowned scholar Dr Shaikh Mohammed Ashmawy said some people, mostly youngsters, believe that e-cigarette is halal or permissible and that has led to widespread use of electronic cigarettes.

“Vaping is worse than using tobacco, and specialists confirm that it is more detrimental to health than normal cigarettes,” he opined.

According to some media reports, last week Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council declared e-cigarettes and vaping forbidden (haraam) for Muslims in an attempt to ‘prevent an unhealthy culture from spreading to future generations’

Media reports quoted Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, chairman of the council, as saying that the decision followed careful consideration of health implications of vaping, indicating that the decision is in line with the opinions of several other Muslim countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

How to give up smoking, according to a scholar

A scholar has said that one should give up smoking with a firm will seeking forgiveness from Almighty Allah for the sin he has been committing.

Fatwa declares e-cig, vaping ‘haram’ for Muslims in Malaysia

http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/fatwa-declares-e-cig-vaping-haram-for-muslims-in-malaysia-27888.html

Kuala Lumpur: Smoking e-cigarettes and vaping has been declared ‘haram’ for Muslims in Malaysia, the country’s national fatwa council has announced. The council after a special meeting decided to issue fatwa declaring e-cigarettes and vaping ‘haram’—forbidden for Muslims.

Islamic Sharia Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin said that based on scientific studies, they have found that vaping does not benefit users.

“The council finds that the consumption of something that is harmful, whether direct or indirectly, purposely or not, could lead to harm or death; so this will not be allowed,” he told reporters here.

Shukor noted that vaping could be considered as something that was distasteful in Islam and could be harmful to the users.

“From the Shariah perspective, Muslims cannot consume something that is harmful to their health or indulge in things that are wasteful,” he said.

He said authorities had the power to ban the use of vape and electronic cigarettes if they had an impact on public health.

E-cigarettes, which provide a nicotine hit without the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco, are already banned for Muslims in four Malaysian states, as well as several other Muslim countries, including Kuwait and the UAE.

Islamic fatwa declared on e-cigs: Vaping is forbidden for Muslims, declares chief Malaysian cleric

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370008/Islamic-fatwa-declared-e-cigs-Vaping-forbidden-Muslims-declares-chief-Malaysian-cleric.html

• Smoking e-cigarettes has now been declared ‘haram’ in Malaysia
• A fatwa has been issued forbidding Muslims from using them
• An estimated 2.6million people in the UK use e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes and vaping has been declared ‘haram’ – forbidden for Muslims – in Malaysia, its national fatwa council announced Monday.

A fatwa has been issued after a special meeting of Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council, stating vaping is equal to drinking poison.

Electronic cigarettes are already banned for Muslims in four Malaysian states, as well as several other Muslim countries, including Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

The council finds that the consumption of something that is harmful, whether direct or indirectly, purposely or not, could lead to harm or death; so this will not be allowed,’ Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, chair of the council said at a press conference.

‘E-cigarettes and vapes are categorised as repulsive due to its harming effects and bad smell,’ Dr Shukor Husin added according to the IBTimes.

‘They also have an element of wastage, which is by spending money on things that are harmful and non-beneficial.’

‘We are seeing women and school children showing interest in vape. The decision is made to prevent an unhealthy culture from spreading to future generations.’

An estimated 2.6million people in the UK use e-cigarettes, which provide a nicotine hit without the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco.

Research published earlier this year found that teenagers who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to end up smoking ‘real’ cigarettes.

American researchers said unregulated electronic cigarettes which are advertised on TV and in magazines serve as a gateway to smoking for teens and young adults.

Results showed 38 per cent of e-cigarette users had started smoking traditional cigarettes within a year compared to just ten per cent who had not used an e-cig.

Earlier this month, it emerged that a type of e-cigs will soon be available on the NHS for smokers trying to quit alongside patches and gums. A review recently declared them 95 per cent safer than the real thing.

E-CIGARETTES: DEVICES THAT ARE 95 PER CENT SAFER THAN TOBACCO

Q: What are e-cigarettes?

A: E-cigarettes, also known as personal vaporisers (PV) or an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), give users a nicotine hit without burning tobacco leaves.

When the user sucks on the e-cigarette, liquid nicotine is vaporised and absorbed through the mouth.

When they breathe out, a plume of what appears to be smoke is emitted but it is actually largely water vapour.

A battery-powered heating coil heats the liquid to form the vapour, with some of the designs involving a pressure sensor that is activated by the user taking a puff, while others have a button to heat them automatically.

Q: How popular are they?

A: Inventor Hon Lik was the first to have his idea patented in his native China in 2003, and it has since become an industry worth around £2 billion. Anti-smoking group Ash estimates there are now 2.6 million vapers in the UK.

Q: Are they all the same?

A: No. There are a huge variety of products on the market, and hundreds of different flavours.

Cigalikes were the first kind of e-cigarettes, designed to look as much like a traditional cigarette as possible in order to make them more appealing to smokers.

They use either disposable or replaceable cartridges.

Because they are so small they can only be fitted with low-capacity batteries and need to be recharged more often than the larger tank-type e-cigarettes that were later developed and which can be refilled with ‘e-liquid’.

Cigalikes are often regarded as the ‘entry level’ to vaping, before users move on to larger models.

Q: What are the health risks?

A: Numerous studies have been carried out, but as e-cigarettes are such a new product they can only look at the short-term effects. Public Health England (PHE) said that experts have calculated vaping to be at least 95 per cent less dangerous than smoking – or alternatively that smoking is 20 times more dangerous than using e-cigarettes.

While cigarettes contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals contained in tar from tobacco, e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco and so avoid delivering these substances.

The main health issues surrounding e-cigarettes concern other ingredients, contaminants and by-products, which can generate some toxicants – but these are at the very low levels found in the air that people generally breathe.

Q. Should people switch immediately?

But while e-cigarettes are far less dangerous than conventional cigarettes, health experts are not encouraging people to take up the habit for the sake of it.

The emergence of e-cigarettes has given way to fears that they will act as a gateway to smoking conventional cigarettes among those who have never smoked – particularly children – but there is no evidence to support this.

Although many youngsters report having tried vaping, as Professor Peter Hajek, director of the Tobacco Dependence Research Unit at Queen Mary, University of London, and a co-author of the PHE report, said: ‘People who are attracted to e-cigarettes are the same people who are attracted to smoking. ‘People who drink white wine are more likely to try red wine than people who do not drink alcohol.’

How tobacco firms tried to undermine Muslim countries’ smoking ban

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/20/tobacco-firms-tried-undermine-muslim-countries-smoking-ban

Attempts to tackle sales threat by framing criticism of smoking as fundamentalist fanaticism are outlined in cache of documents from 1970s until late 1990s

The tobacco industry attempted to reinterpret Islamic teaching and recruit Islamic scholars in a bid to undermine the prohibition on smoking in many Muslim countries, an investigation has shown.

Evidence from archived industry documents from the 1970s to the late 1990s shows that tobacco companies were seriously concerned about Islamic teaching. In 1996, an internal document from British American Tobacco warned that, because of the spread of “extremist views” from fundamentalists in countries such as Afghanistan, the industry would have to “prepare to fight a hurricane”.

We had tobacco industry lawyers actually developing theological arguments, Prof Mark Petticrew

BAT and other companies, which were losing sales in affluent countries where anti-smoking measures had been introduced, devised strategies to counter this perceived threat to sales in places such as Egypt, Indonesia and Bangladesh, which have large populations of young people who smoke.

The industry was concerned that the World Health Organisation was encouraging the anti-smoking stance of Islamic leaders. A 1985 report from tobacco firm Philip Morris squarely blamed the WHO. “This ideological development has become a threat to our business because of the interference of the WHO … The WHO has not only joined forces with Moslem fundamentalists who view smoking as evil, but has gone yet further by encouraging religious leaders previously not active anti-smokers to take up the cause,” it said.

“A Moslem who attacks smoking generally speaking would be a threat to existing government as a ‘fundamentalist’ who wishes to return to sharia law,” says one of the archive documents. It adds: “Our invisible defence must be the individualism which Islam allows its believers … smoking and other signs of modern living should encourage governments to a point at which it is possible quietly to suggest their benefits.”

It adds: “With Islam we might ask what other aspects of modern living are similarly open to extremist demands for prohibition under strict interpretation of sharia: motion pictures, television, and art depicting the human being? Use of electronic amplification by muezzin calling from a minaret? The education of women?” the document says.

The earliest fatwa against tobacco was in 1602, but many scholars believed smoking cigarettes or taking tobacco in water pipes or other forms was harmless until evidence of the dangers to health began to emerge in the mid 20th century. Jurists pronounced that tobacco use was makrooh (discouraged). In many Islamic countries, a harder line was taken, with smoking prohibited on the grounds that the Qur’an does not permit self-harm or intoxication.

The WHO negotiated the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, starting in 1999, in response to what it describes as the “explosive increase in tobacco use”. The convention, which outlines strategies intended to reduce demand, was adopted in 2003.

This is an issue to be handled extremely gingerly and sensitively

BAT internal document

A report in 2000 from the Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (Cora) department at BAT after the first international negotiations said: “It appears that the WHO’s efforts to link religion (specifically Islam) with issues surrounding the use of tobacco are bearing fruit … We will need to discuss separately how we might understand and manage this aspect in line with the Cora strategy.”

The tobacco industry attempted to re-interpret anti-smoking Islamic teachings. A 1996 BAT memo suggests identifying “a scholar/scholars, preferably at the Al Azhar University in Cairo, who we could then brief and enlist as our authoritative advisers/allies and occasionally spokespersons on the issue.

“We agreed that such scholars/authority would need to be paired up with an influential Moslem writer/journalist … such advice would present the most effective and influential opinion able to counter extremist views, which are generally peddled by Islamic fundamentalist preachers largely misinterpreting the Koran … This is an issue to be handled extremely gingerly and sensitively … We have to avoid all possibilities of a backlash.”

Tobacco industry lawyers were also involved in this attempt at revision. A presentation from 2000, prepared by the firm Shook, Hardy and Bacon, gave an overview of the background to Islam and smoking, with slides stating that there is no prohibition on smoking in the Qur’an – and that “making rules beyond what Allah has allowed is a sin in itself”.

Prof Mark Petticrew from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the research, said he was amazed by what researchers had found in the archives. “‘You couldn’t make it up’ comes to mind,” he said. “The thing that jumps out at me from all this is the fact that we had tobacco industry lawyers actually developing theological arguments. That was pretty surprising.”

A document suggest Philip Morris wanted to try to recruit Islamic scholars at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. A representative of the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers’ Council “agreed to make exploratory contact”, it says. Petticrew and his team do not know whether they were successful. “We couldn’t find the papers,” he said.

The tobacco industry is still heavily promoting smoking in countries such as Bangladesh and Egypt, which are predominantly Muslim and have high proportions of smokers.

Its marketing is generally adapted to the “not overly devout”, says the study. The authors call for further research to find out how the industry had approached other faiths.

“The launch of the Faith Against Tobacco national campaign by Tobacco Free Kids and faith leaders in the US, for example, brings together Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other faiths ‘to support proven solutions to reduce smoking’. Understanding efforts by the industry to undermine the efforts of other faith communities brings to light a broader strategy to marginalise tobacco control in diverse communities, and refocuses the problem on tobacco-related health harms,” says the paper.

BAT told the Guardian. “This study, which concerns material written nearly 20 years ago, does not represent the views, policies and position of British American Tobacco. We are a global business that holds itself to strict standards of business conduct and corporate governance, manufacturing and marketing our products in accordance with domestic and international laws and observing the cultural and religious beliefs in the 200 countries in which we operate.”

Philip Morris did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment.

Smoking: A Social Poison

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

Introduction

Discovery Of Tobacco

Tobacco was discovered by the Spanish sailors on the American shores at about 1500 CE (900 AH). Since its discovery, the epidemic of smoking has continued to spread all over the world. In our times, one seldom finds a house not afflicted by it.

As early as the Seventeenth Century, the European countries realized the dangers of smoking and fought against it Laws were ordained in England, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and other countries, prohibiting smoking and punishing violators.

Nowadays, the Western countries continue their attempts to protect their peoples from the harms of smoking. They employ media means, ordain laws and regulations, and apply other methods to discourage people from smoking. Because of that, the rate of smokers has declined to a certain degree in those countries.

Smoking Among Muslims

Smoking was introduced to the Muslim countries by the Europeans around 1000 AH. Its spread among the Muslims was similar to that in the West. The unfortunate fact, however, is that in the Muslim countries, no similar measures were exerted to protect the people from it. To the contrary, the media continues to adom smoking and encourage people to do it. This caused the epidemic of smoking to continue to spread in those countries to such an extent that it has become hard to control.

Smoking has become the rule, and abstaining from it the exception. Often, people look with astonishment and disdain at a person who when a cigarette is offered to him, declines to smoke explaining that he does not smoke.

Offering cigaretles to the guests has become among the first rules of hospitality. Anyone who does not offer them to his guests or insist on them to smoke would be violating the ethics of hospitality and generosity!

Furthermore, some of those who pretend to represent the Deen are among the worst addicts to smoking. When they are reproached or reminded of their vice, they respond by providing weak excuses to justify it in the name of Islaam. They slyly remark that there is no clear text prohibiting smoking. Therefore, they conclude, smoking is not prohibited, but is only makruh (disliked). By this, they provide a poor excuse for the ignorant, and establish a very bad example for others.

Many Muslims have been influenced by such statements, falling into the snares of addiction to smoking. This is observed all over the world. A striking example is that all American airlines now prohibit smoking, even on most international flights; on the other hand, for Muslim airlines, one travels in a near-suffocation state, even on short trips, because of the high number of smokers.

Thus, it becomes incumbent to write an article which provides evidence concerning the ruling of smoking in Islam. We hope that this will benefit our Muslim brothers and sisters; and we ask Allah (T) to accept it from us as a sincere deed for His pleasure.

Definition

Smoking refers to the action of lighting a cigarette, a pipe, a cigar, a water pipe, or any other object made from tobacco or materials of similar effects. The object is then sucked on with the lips to extract smoke. This smoke is inhaled into the chest and then exhaled from the nose and mouth as a thick white smoke. “Smoking” is now used to refer to the action of producing this smoke in English, Arabic, and other languages.

Evidence for the Prohibition of Smoking

There are many reasons, any one of which aufficient to rule smoking prohibited. Most importantly, it is harmful in numerous ways. It is harmful to the Deen, health, environment, family, brotherhood and social relations, property, etc. The following sections will briefly outline some of its harms and evils.

Haram To The Deen

Smoking spoils a person’s acts of worship and reduces their rewards. For instance, it spoils the prayer, which is the pillar of Deen. Allah’s Messenger http://qss.org/images/saws.gifsaid: Whoever eats garlic or onion, let him avoid us and our masjid, and stay in his home. The angels are surely hurt by things that hurt the human beings(1)

Those with clean and undefiled fitrah (nature) have no doubt that the smell emanating from the mouth of a smoker is worse and more foul than that from the mouth of one who ate garlic or onion. Thus, a smoker is in between two options, either to harm the praying people and the angels with his foul smell, or miss the prayer in jama’ah.

Smoking also spoils fasting. Fasting is very hard for the smoker. As soon as the day is over, he hastens to break his fast on an evil cigarette instead of sweet dates or pure water. Even if he fasts through the month Ramadan, a smoker is reluctant to fast on other days. Thus he loses the great reward of those who fast even one day in Allah’s way.

Harm To The Human Body

No one can deny the harm of smoking to the human body. The medical evidence for this is well established and overwhelming. Because of this, the law in the United States and many other countries requires including a warning on any smoking advertisement.

Smoking contains poisonous materials, such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic, benzopyrene, etc., that the smoker swallows in small proportions. Their harm accumulates with time to result in a gradual killing of the human organs and tissues.

The hazards of smoking to the health are hard to enumerate. Cancer, tuberculosis, heart attacks, asthma, coughing, premature birth, infertility, infections in the digestive system, high blood pressure, nervousness, mouth and teeth diseases, etc., are among the many health hazards that have been strongly linked to smoking.

These diseases may not appear all at once, however a smoker is most likely to suffer from some of them, and his suffering increases as he grows older. Furthermore, statistics have established that smokers’ age is, on the average, ten years less than other people’s.

This is aufficient to prohibit smoking. Islam prohibits any action that causes harm to oneself or to other people. Allah (T) says (what means):

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<Do not kill yourselves, Allah is indeed merciful to you.>>(2)

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<Do not cast yourselves, with your own hands, into destruction.>>(3)

And the Messenger http://qss.org/images/saws.gifsays: No harm may be inflicted on oneself or others.(4)

The feet of a human being will not depart, on the day of Judgement, from his standing before his Lord, until he is questioned about five things: his lifetime – how did he pass it, his youth – how did he used it, his wealth – where did he earn it and how did he spend it, and how did he follow what he knew.(5)

Whoever consumes poison, killing himself with it, then he will he consuming his poison in the hellfire, and he will abide in it permanently and eternally.(6)

Harm To The Mind and Will Power

Smoking is harmful to the human mind and reason. An obvious demonstration of this is that one who is addicted to it passes through periods of severe craving, making it hard for him to think, concentrate, solve a problem, or do any important matter, until he smokes.

When one smokes, his muscles slacken, and he passes through a brief period of delirium that curtains the thought. His digestive system is also affected, causing him frequent nervousness and trembling of the hands. He passes through periods of excitability, in itation, and insomnia.

Thus, instead of being Allah’s slave, a smoker becomes slave to his cigarette. He develops a weaker control of his sense and reason. The faculty of reason, clear and unobstructed, is one of Allah’s great bounties on people. He (T) praised it in numerous places of the Qur’an; and He called on people to use it to see the truth and obey Him in a better way. Allah wants of the believer to be strong and capable of controlling the reigns of his desires. He (T) said (what means):

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<AIIah (T) wants to let you into His mercy, whereas those who follow the desires want you to drift far away (from the right path).>>(7)

Harm To The Environment

A smoker emits his poisons in the faces of his companions, wife, children, and the environment. It is well established that second-hand smoke is almost as dangerous as first-hand. Thus, whether they like it or not, a smoker’s associates are forced to inhale the smoke and be themselves smokers as well.

In addition to the poisons normally carried in the smoke, if a smoker has an contagious disease, such as tuberculosis or influenza, his exhaled smoke and coughing carry the disease to those around him.

Furthermore, a smoker irritates people by the foul smell and poisonous nature of his smoking. If they suffer from asthma or allergies, they are forced to move away from his vicinity. The Prophet (http://qss.org/images/saws.gif) said: Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbor.(8)

Thus, smoking constitutes a definite harm to other people; this is prohibited, as was indicated in the hadith cited earlier.

Also, a smoker is certainly a bad companion to sit with, as is depicted in the following hadith:

Verily, the example of a good companion and a bad one is like that of a perfume merchant and a blacksmith: As for the perfume merchant, he would either grant you (some perfume), or you would buy (some perfume) from him, or (in the least) you would get a good smell from him. And as for the blower of the bellows (ironsmith), you would either get a foul odor from him, or he would burn your clothes.(9)

Harm To The Property

A smoker wastes his wealth on that which harms and has no benefit; he will be asked about his wealth and how he spent it, as has been cited in the hadith earlier. His wealth belongs to Allah, so how would he dare to waste it in disobedience to Him? Allah (T) says (what means):

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<And do not entrust to the imprudent ones the possessions that Allah has placed in your charge.. >> (10)

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<And do not waste (your resources) extravagantly. Indeed the squanderers are the brethren of the devils>>(11)

And the Prophet (http://qss.org/images/saws.gif) said: Allah hates for you three things: gossiping, begging, and wasting money.(12)

Furthermore, there are numerous cases of burnt carpets, furniture, and even complete houses and establishments that have resulted from this disastrous vice.

Moral Decadence

Smoking is a form of moral decadence. It is most spread among the low-class immoral people. It reflects blind imitation of the non-Muslims. It is mostly consumed in bars, discos, casinos, and other: places of sin. A smoker may beg or steal if he does not have the money to buy cigarettes. He is ill-mannered with his friends and family, especially when he misses taking his necessary “dose” at the usual time.

Evil Substance

Smoking involves the consumption of an evil substance (khabeeth). It has a foul smell, foul taste, and is harmful to the body. This is aufficient to: prohibit it, because Allah (T) says (what means):

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<(The Prophet) who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right, forbid them the doing of what is wrong, make lawful to them the good things of life, prohibit for them the evil things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were (previously) upon them.>>(13)

Resembling The People Of The Fire

A smoker inhales the smoke that does not give him any nourishment. This is similar to the action of the people of the Hell fire who eat harmful thorny plants:

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<No food will be there for them but a poisonous thorny plant, which will neither nourish them nor still their hunger.>>(14)

Bad Example

A smoker, whether he likes it or not, makes of himself an example for his children and others to follow. He leads them to commit this evil. Actions sometimes have a stronger effect than words. Thus, even if he advises them or forbids them from smoking, his partaking of it provides them with a strong excuse to do it.

The problem is worse when the smoker is of known piety or knowledge. In such case, his harm becomes more emphasized, because more people take him as guide and example, and are thus lead astray by him. This multiplies his sins and increases his burden.

Hostility Toward The Good People

The majority of good people avoid smoking and stay away from smokers. Therefore, a smoker would be forced to stay away from them – at least while he smokes. He puts himself in a selective exile, creating a spiritual distance and hostility between him and the good people, and a closeness to the evil people. The effects of this become more apparent and acute with time. Note that this applies equally to any sin that a person commits, small or large.

Low Self Esteem.

A smoker despises himself, because he feels that a little cigarette is controlling him. Realizing his weakness before desires, this creates in him a feeling of defeat in the face of hardships.

Scholars’ Verdict

Since smoking became known to Muslims, all of the great scholars who have the capability of Ijtihad (deriving verdicts in new situations) agree to its prohibition. Thus, there is no value for baseless opinions, conflicting with this, provided by self-proclaimed lesser scholars.

Warnings

In discussing the subject of the prohibition of smoking, there are some important warnings that need to be mentioned:

As indicated before, the prohibition of smoking is not restricted to cigarettes, but applies as well to other objects that have similar effects such as cigars, pipes, water-pipes, chewing tobacco or sniffing tobacco, etc.
The reasons mentioned above for prohibiting smoking apply as well, and more strongly, to various types of drugs and hashish such as marijuana and -tat. These materials have additional problems such as causing drunkenness, death, madness, etc.
The prohibition of smoking is not restricted to consuming it, but applies as well to offering it to people, sitting with those who are smoking, or selling it. All of this involves helping people commit sins, which is prohibited, as Allah (T) says (what means):
http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sinning and transgression. And fear and revere Allah; verily, Allah is severe in punishment.>>(15)

Also, Allah’s Messenger (http://qss.org/images/saws.gif) said: Indeed when Allah prohibits something, he prohibits eating its price.(16)

Treating the Disease of Smoking

Only few of those addicted to smoking are able to stop it. The reasons for this are many, among which are the following:

The addictive nature of the poisonous substances contained in it.
The smokers are not totally convinced of its prohibition.
They do not have a strong determination to refrain from it.
The following are some suggestions to help a person stop smoking:

Rely on Allah sincerely, with full determination not to return to smoking, in compliance with Allah’s command:
http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<When you decide on a certain course of action, place your trust in Allah.>>(17)

Stop immediately instead of claiming it is best to do it gradually. The gradual approach is the way of one who does not trust his determination and the will power that Allah has granted him. Let the example be taken from the Sahabah who, as soon as Allah’s command reached them regarding alcohols:
http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<Will you not then desist?>>(18) they immediately poured out all the alcohol that they had and said, “We desist our Lord, we desist!” They did this despite the fact that alcohol has a greater addictive power over those who drink it.

Avoid the bad company of smokers and smoking environments that are full with the smell of smoke.

Change the food diet by abstaining from foods and drinks that would entice the craving to smoke such as spices, meat, tea, and coffee; and eating a lot of vegetables and fruits.

Use medically tested and established procedures to help stop smoking, as directed by physicians, such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, etc.

Expel the secret whispers of Satan who continuously dictates to the human being that he is weak and incapable of refraining from sinning, as Allah (T) says (what means)
http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<It is but Satan who instills (into you) fear of his allies; so do not fear them, but fear Me if you are (truly) believers.. >>(19)

http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

<<Fight then against the allies of Satan; indeed, Satan’s guile is weak.. >>(20)

References

“The Ruling of Smoking” by Muhammad bin Ibraaheem (r)

“The Ruling of Smoking” by `Abdur-Rahman Bin Naasir as-Sa`di (r).

“The Ruling of Smoking” by `Abdul-`Aziz Bin ‘Abdullaah Bin Baaz.

“The Ruling of Smoking” by Muhammad Bin Salih al-‘Uthaymin.

Hukm ul-lslami fit-Tadkhin by Muhammad Jamil Zinu.

Hukm ud-Dini fil-Lihyati wat-Tadkhin by ‘Ali Hasan al-Halabi.

“Smoking and Its Effects on Health” by Dr. Muhammad ‘Ali al-Barr.

Footnotes

(1) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Jabir and other Sahaabah http://qss.org/images/ranhum.gif.

(2) An-Nisa’ 4-29.

(3) Al-Baqarah 2:195.

(4) Recorded by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah from Ibn `Abbaas and `Ubaadah; authenticated by al-Albaani and others.

(5) Recorded by at-Tirmithi and others from Ibn Mas`ud http://qss.org/images/ranhu.gifand AbO Barzah http://qss.org/images/ranhu.gif, authenticated by al-Albaani.

(6) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Jaabir http://qss.org/images/ranhu.gif

(7) An-Nisa 4:27.

(8) Al-Bukhaari.

(9) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

(10) An-Nisa 4:5.

(11) Al-lsra’ 17:26-27.

(12) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

(I3) Al-A’raf 7:157.

(14) Al-Ghaashiyah 88:6-7.

(15) Al-Maidah 5:2.

(16) Recorded by Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Ibn `Abbas; authenticated by al-Albaani.

(I7) Al-‘lmran 3:159

(18) Al-Maa’idah 5 91

(19) Al-`Imraan 3:175.

(20) An-Nisaa’ 4:76.