IS SMOKING HARAM IN ISLAM???

Smoking is one of the things which have caused a lot of problems and harm these days
and it has spread like wild fire. Before we discuss this topic in detail, we should know that Allah
the Almighty has divided things in the world into two types:
1- good or permissible [al-tayyibaat, al-halaal], &
2- evil or prohibited [al-khabaa'ith, al-haraam], and
There is no third type. Quran :: Surah: 7 [al-A'raaf] :: Ayat: 157 "And He makes good things
halaal for them and bad things haraam. ‫ "ويحل لهم الطيبات ويحرم عليهم الخبائث‬Quran :: Surah:
5 [al-Maida] :: Ayat: 90 “O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing
on] stone alters [to other than Allah ], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work
of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. ‫يآيها الذين آمنوا إنما الخمر والميسر والنصاب‬
‫” والزلم رجز من عمل الشـيطان فاجتنبوه لعلكم تفلحون‬
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Houghton Mifflin Co.
Boston, 1978, P. 686 The word intoxicant has three [3] meanings:
i. to induce, especially the effect of ingested alcohol.
ii. To stimulate or excite.
iii. To poison. The latter two meanings are very valid and applicable to nicotine.
Considering this fact, smoking can either be permissible and good or prohibited and evil.
Previous Ulamas used to give a Fatwa that smoking is Makrooh based on the
knowledge that they had at that time. Today science has advanced and hence the Scholars have
changed their opinions keeping in view the ill effects of smoking which have come to light
recently.
According to latest Fatwas given by more than 700 Ulamas (Islamic Scholars –
Doctorate), they say cigarette smoking is Haram based on the Qur-anic verse of surah: 2 [baqara]
:: ayat: 195 “Do not make your own hands the cause of your own destruction. ‫ولتلقوا بأيديكم‬
‫” إلى التهلكة‬
1- Smoking is a Killer. Smoking is nothing but a form of slow suicide. It causes diseases
like lung cancer, tuberculosis and heart diseases (just to mention a few). And we know that Allah
forbids us from killing ourselves. Quran :: Surah: 17 [al-Isra] :: Ayat: 33 "And do not kill anyone
which Allah has forbidden...‫ "ول تقتلوا النفس التي حرم ال‬Quran :: Surah: 2 [al-Baqara] ::
Ayat: 195 "Do not make your own hands the cause of your own destruction. . ‫ولتلقوا‬
‫ " بأيديكم إلى التهلكة‬Quran :: Surah: 4 [al-Nisa] :: Ayat: 29 "Do not kill or destroy yourselves for
verily God is most Merciful unto you.‫"ول تقتلوا أنفسكم إن ال كان بكم رحيما‬
2- Smoking inflicts harm on non-smokers. It is scientifically proven that the exhaled
smoke of the smoker is hazardous to non-smokers around him. Many people encounter breathing
problems when they accidentally inhale smoke from someone’s pipe or cigarettes, especially
people suffering from bronchial asthma. It is also proved medically that non-smokers are harmed
when in the company of smokers (i.e. passive smoking). The smoking of parents has been linked
to respiratory problems in children and crib death. It is also the cause of many devastating fires.
Quran :: Surah: 33 [al-Ahzaab] :: Ayat: 58 "Those who cause harm to believing men and
women without any reason do a great sin. ‫والذين يؤذون المؤمنين والمؤمنات بغير ماكتسبوا فقد احتملوا‬
‫"بهتانا وإثما مبينا‬
3- Smoking burns [waste] wealth. The amount of money a smoker spends on cigarette
smoking in a period of 30 years is calculated to be Two Hundred Thousand Dollars or more. All
this money is simply wasted (not including the money spent on smoker's health care). Quran ::
Surah: 17 [al-Isra] :: Ayat: 26-27 ”Do not spend wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift. Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the devils.‫ إن المبذرين كـانوا إخـوان‬،‫ول تبذر تبذيرا‬
‫”الشياطين‬
 4- Smoking effects worship. The body is polluted by smoking. Hence smokers cannot
pray until they have cleansed themselves. Quran :: Surah: 4 [al-Nisa] :: Ayat: 43 "O you who
have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are
saying or in a state of Janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you
have washed [your whole body].‫ياآيها الذين آمنوا ل تقربوا الصلة وأنتم سكارى حتى تعلموا ما تقولــون ول‬
‫ ” جنبــا إل عــابري ســبيل حــتى تغتســلوا‬Everything that a smoker comes in contact with smell of
cigarettes; His car, clothes, home, etc. Therefore, when a smoker prays in congregation he hurts
his fellow humans with his smell as well as the angels. Muslim :: Book: 4 [Book of prayers] ::
Hadith: 1147 The Prophet said: “Whoever has eaten from such greens as garlic, onions or leek
should keep away from our mosque. Truly, the angels are harmed by what harms the
offspring of Aadam.”

FACTS ABOUT SMOKING

According to the WHO [World Health Organization], there are more than a million
people every year who only die because of cigarette smoking. Worldwide, about 1.35 billion
people smoke. The world population statistic in 2009 stood at 6.8 billion meaning almost 20% of
the world’s population smokes & 5 million deaths per year in the world caused by cigarette
smoking. Around 600,000 people die each year due to second hand smoke. It means in every 6.5
seconds a current or former smoker dies. Nancy Brinker, WHO's Goodwill Ambassador for
Cancer Control: The tobacco use killed 100 million people in the 20th century and threatens to
kill 1 billion more in the 21st - more than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV combined if current
smoking trends continue. By the mid-2020s, the WHO predicts, 85% of all smokers will come
from the world's poorer countries. If the WHO forecasts are correct, smoking could become the
world's biggest killer over the next 20 years, causing more deaths than HIV, tuberculosis, road
accidents, murder and suicide put together. According to the organization smoking-related
diseases are killing 5 million people a year worldwide and that number will raise to 10 million a
year in the next 25 years.

SMOKING STATISTICS WORLDWIDE

Pakistan Professor Javaid A. Khan, Consultant Chest Physician at AKUH, speaking on

the ill-effects of smoking at a seminar held at Aga Khan University, Karachi on October 12,
2004. “40% men & 8% women in Pakistan are regular smokers. 100,000 people die every year
from Tobacco related diseases. If we don’t take any action, the current global death rate of 5
million per year from tobacco use will increase to 10 million per year by 2025.” A 2008 survey of
450 students in Karachi found that 64.2 percent of males and 37.9 percent of females had smoked
a `shisha’ at least once in their lifetime; 77.3 percent of males and 33.3 percent of females
smoked a `shisha’ regularly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan’s
population of 160 million includes 22-25 million tobacco smokers; 36 percent of adult males and
9 percent of adult females smoke.
India - 900,000 Indians die because of smoking each year year. China - 1.2 million
people die because of smoking each year. That's 2,000 people a day. Japan - smoking is the
leading cause of death and is responsible for 20% of all cancers. 50 percent of men and 14
percent of women smoke. Russia - smoking kills between 400,000 and 500,000 Russians every
year from smoking ailments. Indonesia - 200,000 people die each year of smoking-related
diseases. Germany - 140,000 Germans die every year from tobacco-related illnesses. UK -
90,000 people die from smoking each year. USA - 443,000 Americans die because of smoking
each year.
 Secondhand smoke kills about 50,000 of them. 1,000 teens become new smokers every
day in the United States Turkey - around 110,000 people each year die of smoking-related
illnesses, according to official figures. France - there are about 66,000 smoking-related deaths
each year Mexico - around 65,000 people die because of smoking each year. The country has 105
million people. Spain - 50,000 die because of smoking each year. About 30 percent of Spaniards
smoke. Iran - 50,000 Iranians die each year from tobacco related illnesses, according to the
government. 200,000 Iranian projected to die from smoking by 2019. Canada - 37,000 people
die from smoking every year, according to the Ministry of Health. Egypt - 34,000 tobacco-related
deaths each year. Saudi Arabia - 22,000 Saudis die of smoking related diseases every year,
according to the Anti-Smoking Society. South Africa - 44,000 adults die each year from
smoking, according to the NCAS [National Council Against Smoking]. Greece - 20,000 people
die of smoking-related diseases each year. Australia - 15,000 to 19,000 Australians deaths each
year are caused by smoking.

ILL EFFECTS OF SMOKING

- It raises blood pressure. - The blood vessels in the eye are sensitive and can be easily
damaged by smoke - Smokers take 25 per cent more sick days a year than non-smokers.
- It stains your teeth and gums.
- It increases your risk of periodontal disease, which causes swollen gums, bad breath and
teeth to fall out.
- It can lead to progressive liver damage. Most hepatitis C patients are prone to severe
liver damage when left untreated or when accompanied with smoking habits. - It reduces the
blood supply to the skin and lowers levels of vitamin A.
- It damages the throat.
- It affects digestive system.
- It causes peptic ulcer.
- It causes hardening of the arteries.
- It causes constipation.
- It causes lung, mouth, throat, tongue, cervix and other cancers.
- It causes loss of eyesight.
- It causes loss of libido.
- It causes loss of figure.
- It causes loss of memory.
- It causes insecurity, anger, concentration, forgetfulness, violent behavior etc.

The list is huge and goes on and on and on. I simply haven't space to include all the nasty
diseases that smoking can give you. So, honestly, it’s best to quit NOW!

ISLAMIC CURE FOR SMOKING

It is first recommended to make the firm intention, from deep in your heart, to give up
this evil habit. Trust in Allah's words: Quran :: Surah: 3 [al-Imran] :: Ayat: 159-160 "...When
you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon
Him]. If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; if He forsakes you, who is it - after that -
that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust ‫فإذا عزمت فتوكل على ال إن ال يحب‬
‫ إن ينصركم ال فل غالب لكم وإن يخذلكم فمن ذا الذي ينصركم من بعده وعلى ال فليتوكل المؤمنين‬، ‫ "المتوكلين‬If a
Muslim is under any kind of stress, and then he must turn to Allah for help. Even medical science
has rejected outright, the myth that smoking calms the nerves.
 What we know for sure, is that the remembrance of Allah is healing, as Allah says: Quran
:: Surah: 13 [ar-Raad] :: Ayat: 28 “Verily in the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.‫أل‬
‫ ” بذكر ال تطمئن القلوب‬So when the urge for smoking arises, resort to the Qur’aan and strive to
comply with Allah’s commandments. Quran :: Surah: 29 [al-Ankabut] :: Ayat: 69 “Those who
strive hard in our cause, we will surely guide them to our paths.‫”والذين جاهدوا فينا لنهدينهم سبلنا‬

FATWA GIVEN BY ISLAMIC SCHOLAR ON SMOKING

In view of the harm caused by tobacco, growing, trading in

and smoking of tobacco are judged to be HARAM.
The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said, “Do not harm
yourselves or others”. Furthermore, tobacco is unwholesome and
God says in the Quran that the Prophet PBUH enjoins upon them
that which is good and pure and forbids them that which is
unwholesome. Permanent Committee of Academic Research and
Fatwa, Saudi Arabia. Abdul-Aziz bin Baz, Chairman. Abdul-
Razzaq Afifi, Vice-President. Abdullah bin Ghadian, Member.
Abdullah bin Qa’oud, Member