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Fataawa Regarding Tobacco and Cigarettes
Fataawa Regarding Tobacco and Cigarettes
loreword
Verilv all praise is or Allah. we praise and thank him. seek lis
aid. and seek his orgieness. \hosoeer Allah guides. none can
misguide. and whosoeer Allah misguides. there is none to guide.
And mav the Peace and blessings o Allah be upon lis last mes-
senger. our Prophet Muhammad. and upon all his amilv and
companions.
1o proceed:
Indeed we are liing in a time o great conusion. where the truth
is mixed with alsehood. in which none can distinguish between
the two except or those Allah has gien the criterion. Allah savs.
- |, .| - -| , . ,- =| .| =
O you who believe, if you have taqwaa
of Allah, He
will give you a criterion (to differentiate between truth
and falsehood) .
|Surah al-Anaal 8,:29|
And rom the matters in which manv are conused is the tobacco
that has become so rampant in our times. Its trial has alicted
manv people. een those that we might consider to be rom
1
1aqwaa , , . . : a state in which one aoids all which Allah orbids and does
all le commands.
5
amongst the righteous. so much so that we een see them indulg-
ing in it in the open. not perceiing its great harm to their religion
and health.
Also. a great disserice has been done bv those who call them-
seles scholars. conusing people and not clariving to them the
ruling concerning this tobacco. giing excuse that there are no
clear eidences to be ound establishing its prohibition. I we
were to accord to this reasoning. one would ind that we would
not then be able to gie judgment in manv other matters in the
religion. or Allah. out o lis ininite \isdom. has gien general
rulings which allow us to judge speciic matters. thus making lis
religion the ultimate source o legislation or all matters. in this
world and the next. until the end o time.
Anvone who has the slightest understanding o Islam and its
sources has no doubt concerning its permissibilitv. but others`
reasoning has been corrupted because o adhering to alse no-
tions. like blind ollowing. so much that their intellect ceases to
unction. not being able to perceie anvthing other than the opin-
ion o the one thev ollow.
So it is upon those whom Allah has gien the 1aweeq
to under-
stand the religion to break the shackles o ignorance and blind
ollowing. and to clariv to people the realitv o tobacco which is
so lightlv taken bv manv todav.
lor this reason. we elt it necessarv that the fataawaa
o schol-
ars whom Allah has chosen not to be ictims o this ignorance be
known. to clariv to all the prohibition o this eil and repulsie
habit. and to be rom amongst those who gie ictorv to lis re-
ligion. not earing the blame o those who blame. Mav Allah re-
2
1awfeeq , ,, `_ . : Success rom Allah in doing the right thing.
3
Iataawaa , , . . : Plural o Iatwaa , , . . . which means a legal erdict in the
religion.
6
ward all those who helped publishing this work. and reward them
with whateer good results rom it. Ameen.
1he latwaa o
Sheikh
Muhammad bin Ibraaheem Aal-ish-
Sheikh
Mav Allah hae mercv on him,
regarding
Smoking
(igarettes
8
All praise is due to Allah alone. and mav the Peace and Blessings
o Allah be upon Muhammad. the last o the prophets.
I was asked about the ruling concerning tobacco. in which manv
ignorant and oolish people are enamored. in spite o the act that
eerv person knows that we hae stated its prohibition. \e. our
scholars and teachers. their teachers. and all the truth-seeking
scholars rom the leaders o the Da'wah
o the Najd
5
and the
rest o the Muslim world. rom the time o its onset around 1010
Al until this dav. hae stated its prohibition. all basing their ei-
dence rom the principles o the religion and obseration.
lor this reason. I had at irst elt that it was not appropriate to
answer this question. but since it was the due right o the ques-
tioner. and since this khabeeth.
6
as one would neer expect. has
become so prealent. I decided to proceed in answering it.
So I sav:
1here is no doubt that cigarettes are something khabeeth and pu-
trid. and that at times thev hae intoxicating attributes. while at
other times thev act as a sedatie. Its prohibition is based upon
4
Da'wah , . - , . : 1he call to Islam. lere. it means the da`wah o Muhammad
bin Sulavmaan at-1ameemi.
5
Najd: 1he central part o what is known todav as Saudi Arabia.
6
Kabeeth , ,,- . . , pl. khabaa`ith , - , . . : Literallv. anvthing ound repulsie. In
religious terms. anvthing repulsie. eil. and unlawul. i.e. things. deeds. belies.
persons and ood. Kubth , - , . . : repulsieness.
9
authentic texts rom the Our`an and Sunnah
. sound reasoning.
and also rom the statements o phvsicians and others who are
well inormed in its regard.
1he first: Authentic sources.
Allah , savs in the Our`an.
- | .,=,| .,-, =| .=- -,- -,= .=| -v ,
, ,| , =,,-| .,-| ,v , ,' - ..
, =,`,=| ..| .,- ..,- -`, =
And those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet
who can neither read nor write, whom they find writ-
ten with them in the 1awraah (1orah) and the Injeel
(Gospels), ordering them with al-ma'roof (all things
ordained by Islam), and prohibiting them from al-
munkar (all things prohibited by Islam), and allows
for them at-tayyibaat (all things good and pure) and
prohibits them al- khabaa`ith.
|Surah al-A`raa ,:15|
It has been related in a hadeeth
8
in Saheeh al-Bukhaari. on the
authoritv o Umar ,. who said that the Prophet , said.
Sunnah , = - . pl. Sunan , = ` . : 1he Speech. Deeds and tacit approals o the
Prophet ,.
8
Hadeeth , - = . . pl. ahaadeeth , | - . . . : A narration o the speech. deeds.
airmations. or characteristics o the Prophet ,.
10
Lvery intoxicant is considered khamr (wine) and every
khamr is haraam (impermissible).
. and in the wording o Muslim.
.and every intoxicant is haraam.
It has also been related bv 1irmidhi which he stated as a hasan
9
hadeeth, and Abu Dawud:
Lvery intoxicant is haraam, and anything of which a
large amount intoxicates, even a small amount is
haraam.
All o these noble erses and authentic ahaadith establish its pro-
hibition. or at times this khabeeth is an intoxicant. and at other
times a sedatie. and none object to this act except those who
reject the realitv o their senses. \ithout anv doubt. these texts
also conirm the prohibition o all other tvpes o intoxicants and
sedaties.
It has been related bv Imaam Ahmad and Abu Dawud on the
authoritv o Umm Salamah. mav Allah be pleased with her. that
she said:
1he Messenger of Allah () prohibited every intoxicant
and sedative.
Al-laidh. az-Zain al-Iraaqi said.
9
Hasan: An authentic hadeeth. but one that does not reach the status o
saheeh.
11
Its isnaad
10
is saheeh
11
.` and as-Suvuti also declared it to be
saheeh in his book. Al-Jaami`-us- Saheeh.`
Smoking also inoles wastage o monev. causing the smoker to
sacriice manv essentials o lie in its acquisition. and none can
object to this realitv.
In a hadeeth ound in the Saheehayn
12
. the Prophet , said:
Verily Allah has made forbidden for you: disobedience
to parents, burying alive of daughters, and demanding
your rights while not giving to others, and He has hated
13
for you: vain talk, persistent questioning
14
, and squander-
ing of money.
10
Isnaad: 1he chain o narrators which report a particular hadeeth.
11
Saheeh: A hadeeth o the highest categorv o authenticitv.
12
Saheehayn: Literallv. the two Saheehs. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim. the two
most authentic books o hadeeth. and the onlv two books o the six most
common books o hadeeth. al-Bukhaari. Muslim. Abu Daawud. an-Nasaa`i.
ibn Maajah. and at-1irmidhi. in which the authors. Muhammad bin Ismaeel al-
Bukhari and Muslim bin lajjaaj an-Nisapuri. intended to include onlv the
most authentic o ahaadeeth.
13
Imaam an-Nawawi stated in his explanantion o Saheeh Muslim. 1he
scholars hae stated that what is meant bv pleasure. anger. and hatred rom
Allah is lis commnding or prohibiting it. and his reward and punishment.`
Also in the Our`an. ater Allah mentions some o the greatest sins. i.e.
ornication. murder. and the killing o children. le describes them as being
hated bv lim.
=,,- c` =- -`,= . c|. -
All these are evil and hateful in the Sight of your Lord.
|Surah al-Israa1,:38|
14
1he tvpe o questioning which is o no use.
12
\hat will ollow rom the statements o the orerunners o the
our madhaahib
15
will clariv what was intended here bv the
Prophet ,.
lrom the fuqahaa
16
o the Hanafiyyah
1
. Sheikh Muhammad
al-Avni mentioned in his treatise that there were our actors that
lead to its prohibition:
1, Statements o phvsicians and others who hae knowledge in
this issue hae conirmed that smoking is detrimental to one`s
health. and all things that are harmul to one`s health are pro-
hibited bv the consensus o the scholars.
2, Phvsicians consider it a drug. and all drugs are prohibited in
the religion. 1his is established rom the hadeeth o Imaam
Ahmad on the authoritv o Umm Salamah. mav Allah be
pleased with her. that she said.
1he Messenger of Allah () prohibited every intoxicant
and sedative.
It is considered a sedatie bv the unanimitv o phvsicians. and
their statements are considered an eidence bv the consensus
o the uqahaa rom both the earlier and later generations.
3, Its repugnant odor that oenses others who do not smoke.
particularlv in gatherings o praver. In act. it displeases the an-
gels as well. It has been related in the Saheehavn on the author-
itv o Jaabir ,. that the Prophet , said:
15
Madhaahib , - = . . : Plural o madhhab , - = `. . . or a school o thought.
16
Iuqahaa , . . : Plural o Iaqeeh , , `- . . or a scholar o fiqh , `- . . or Islamic
jurisprudence.
1
1he school o thought which attributes itsel to Abu laneeah. mav Allah
hae mercv on lim.
13
Whoever has eaten garlic or onion is to keep away from
us and our masaajid
Introduction
All praises are due to Allah. the Lord o the \orlds. and mav the
Peace and Blessings o Allah be upon our Prophet. Muhammad.
and upon his amilv and companions.
Verilv the scholars in our time are manv. but ew are those who
seek to extract rulings rom its source and base them upon its
oundation. ollow their speech with action. and intentlv search
or the truth in all that appears and rises rom the horizon. And
rom this erv ew was Abdur-Rahmaan bin Naasir bin Sa`di. mav
Allah hae mercv upon him. or indeed i anvone were to pursue
his works. interact with him and examine his liestvle in the davs
he was alie. he would know his perseerance in the serice o
knowledge. whether it be in research or commentarv. le would
ind him excellent in character. upright in his aairs. and just and
air to his colleagues and students. pursuing harmonv in anv eil
that might transpire and lead to contention and diision. mav Al-
lah hae much mercv on him.
And rom those works is this concise but comprehensie letter
which he wrote in response to a question asked bv the respected
brother. Ali al-lamd as-Saalihi in regards to the ruling regarding
smoking cigarettes. In spite o its breitv. it has clearlv achieed
its goal. openlv proessing the truth. Bv it. the criterion has been
established upon the obstinate and those who ollow their desires
rather than Guidance rom Allah. as he emploved the generalitv
o the texts rom the Our`an and the Sunnah as a basis to gie
26
eidence to the prohibition o smoking cigarettes. as well as the
detriment caused to one`s inancial condition. bodv. and the soci-
etv as a whole.
And it is not or anvone to be obstinate bv demanding to men-
tion speciic eidences prohibiting smoking. not being content in
the generalitv o the texts. except i he be shortsighted. weak in
intellect. and ignorant o the sources o the religion and how to
understand and beneit rom them. Indeed the eidences in the
religion. as thev appear as speciic rulings. oten appear as general
rulings that embodv the speciic ones. 1he likes o these doubts
and misconceptions do not cross the path o those who trulv seek
and research the truth. One would onlv use this tvpe o reasoning
i its addiction has taken possession o his soul and oercome
him. in that he becomes its prisoner. Shavtaan seduces him. beau-
tiving or him the khabaa`ith. reering it: he takes Shavtaan as an
Imaam. leading the person`s heart astrav bv the whispers and
doubts that he casts into it.
It has become eident that smoking cigarettes contains much
danger and much harm. and scholars o medicine hae conirmed
this act. I will mention some o what thev hae said. not. though.
to seek to establish its prohibition through it. or the one content
in the religion is the one whom Allah has suiced with lis Book
and the Prophet`s , Sunnah. or thev are the clearest and
straightest o paths and in them is the conincing argument or
those who Allah has granted straightness and who are upon lis
Guidance. I onlv mention it or those who blindlv ollow whom
thev deem people o knowledge. ciilization. and taste. seeking to
clariv that the ones whom thev emulate hae themseles ac-
knowledged its harm and repudiate it.
2
1he ollowing are some excerpts taken rom Kitaab-ul-Bavaan. bv
Sheikh Ibraaheem Abdul-Baaqi. mav Allah hae mercv on him.
1he Doctor stated in Adaab al-Muhallaa. p.122:
1obacco and Smoking
bv \estern lealth inestigatie oicer Ismaaeel Rushdie:
It is a plant the Arabs named. at-1abaaq tobacco,. Bv chemical
analvsis. it is shown to contain a poisonous substance o which
i two drops were to be administered to a dog`s mouth. it
would immediatelv die. and ie drops are suicient to kill a
camel. Saage people in the past were accustomed to chewing
it. 1his is the most harmul method o utilization. or it enters
the stomach through the salia. In spite o the wide arrav o
harm it causes. its consumption has become prealent amongst
manv nations.
Phvsicians hae established that tobacco aects the heart bv
causing palpitation. the lungs bv causing cough. the stomach bv
causing a loss o appetite. the eves bv causing conjunctiitis.
and the nerous svstem bv sedating it.
Doctor Damardaash Ahmad stated the ollowing:
, | . | J - , =, | - , ,
| . - | -
And I do not find in the faults of people a fault,
Like the shortcomings found in the competent of
perfection.
I do not beliee that the human race. since the time o its crea-
tion. has weakened and humiliated itsel in ront o its enemv
28
as much thev hae in ront o smoking cigarettes. as this habit
has captiated. ettered and humiliated its pride. It has taken
control o all tvpes o people. rom the most menial o laborers
who depredate their own and their amilv`s nourishment. to the
leading phvsicians. philosophers. and intellectuals who hae
annulled their ingeniousness with which thev reealed distant
horizons in an arrav o arts and sciences.
1he prealent opinion was that smoking in moderation caused
little or no harm to the healthv person. but ongoing research
has established that in act the harm caused bv smoking is
something that could neer hae been imagined.
1he realities o what this research has established the ollow-
ing. Proessor Diamond Palmer undertook a studv o twentv
thousand cases. amongst them were those who smoke exces-
sielv. moderatelv. and those that abstain rom smoking alto-
gether. le created a proile at John lopkins Uniersitv stating
in it eervthing related to their health. disease and liestvles. le
started the research in the vear 1919 (L and completed it in
the vear 1940 (L with the ollowing conclusion:
Smoking cigarettes clearlv shortens the liespan o a person in
relation to the amount consumed: those who rerain lie longer
than those who are moderate smokers. and those who smoke
moderatelv lie longer than those do so excessielv.
I ask Allah , that le guide us to the straight path. and that le
grant us the guidance to accept adice. and that le keep us awav
rom all which contains danger and harm. \e ask that le hae
mercv upon the author. cause beneit bv his work. and cause us
to meet in the most honorable abode.
And mav the Peace and Blessings o Allah be upon our Prophet
Muhammad. and upon al his amilv and companions.
Abdur-Razzaaq al-Aeei
29
1he Ruling
(oncerning (igarettes
1his ollowing is a letter rom his excellencv. the Sheikh. Abdur-
Rahmaan an-Naasir as-Sa`di. mav Allah hae mercv upon him.
which he wrote in replv to a question which I inquired due to a
discussion that took place between me and another Muslim re-
garding the ruling concerning smoking. And as it was that this
treatise was not to be ound with anv other person. I thought it
necessarv that I bring to it light. earing the disgrace and sin asso-
ciated with concealing knowledge. as well as hoping rom Allah
that he causes me. the author and the rest o the Muslims to
beneit bv it.
1he ollowing is the text o the question and answer as written bv
the transcriber. mav Allah hae mercv on him.
30
All Praise is due to Allah. alone. and mav the Peace and Blessings
o Allah be upon lis Messenger and upon all his amilv and
companions.
I was asked bv some brothers about the ruling concerning smok-
ing cigarettes and the aliditv o the Imaamah
33
o the one who
does so publiclv. while mentioning that this eil has become
prealent and has alicted manv people.
So the answer is as ollows:
1he eidences o the religion establish that the smoking o ciga-
rettes is prohibited. and that is due to both its khubth and the
great harm it possesses. or Allah , has not sanctioned anv-
thing rom ood and drink except which is good and beneicial.
And as or those things which cause detriment to one`s religion
or their worldlv lie. or which change their normal state o mind.
Allah. Lxalted be le. has disallowed it. Allah , is more merci-
ul to lis serants than their own seles. le is the All-\ise and
All-Knowing in lis speech. actions. legislation. and ordainments.
and le does not prohibit anvthing in ain. le does not create
anvthing in alsehood. nor does le order lis serants with
something in which there is no beneit. or le. Lxalted be le. is
the \isest o Judges and the Most Merciul. le the All-Knowing
about what is proper or lis serants and what beneits them in
this lie and the next. as le , said.
33
See ootnote 42.
42
- `.,- `.,- c . =
Indeed your Lord is Wise and Knowledgeable.
|Surah al-Anaam6 ,:128|
And le , said.
- ,- ,- . = . =
Indeed Allah is Wise and Knowledgeable.
|Surah an-Nisaa 4,:11|
And there are numerous other erses that suggest the same
meaning.
And rom the Our`anic eidences regarding the prohibition o
smoking cigarettes is lis , saving in lis Noble Book in Surah
al-Maa`idah.
- =,`,=| .| -| | ..| -| .- c,||. =
1hey ask you what has been allowed for them. Say:
at-tayyibaat (all things pure and good) have been al-
lowed for you.
|Surah al-Maa`idah 5,:4|
And he said in Surah al-A`raa describing our Prophet Muham-
mad ,.
- , =,,-| .,-| , ,| - .. =,`,=| ..|
, .,| ..,- -`, =
43
He commands them with al-ma'roof (all things or-
dained by Islam) and prohibits them al-munkar (all
things prohibited by Islam), and he allows for them at-
tayyibaat (all things good and pure) and he prohibits
them al-khabaa`ith.
|Surah al-A`raa,:15|
Allah , clariied in these two noble erses that le , has not
permitted anvthing or lis serants except those things good and
pure. which are the beneicial ood and drink. And as or the
ood and drink which cause harm. like those that intoxicate. nar-
cotize. or anv other ood or drink harmul to one`s religion. bodv.
or mind. thev are rom the prohibited khabaa`ith. Phvsicians and
others who hae knowledge in this subject are in agreement that
cigarettes are extremelv harmul to health. 1hev hae also men-
tioned that it is a cause o a wide arrav o diseases. amongst them
cancer. and cardiac arrest. And i this is trulv the case. then there
should be no doubt in the prohibition o anvthing that has similar
consequences. and it becomes an obligation to caution against it.
1he intelligent should not be deceied bv the scores o people
who smoke. or erilv Allah , said in lis (lear Book.
,- .,-, . = ,,= - =,= v J - ,| -= .
, =| v .,=, v . . =
And if you follow most of those on earth, they will
mislead you far away from Allah's Path. 1hey follow
nothing but conjectures, and they do nothing but lie.
|Surah al-Anaam 6,:116|
And le , said.
44
- ,| .,-. .,| .| .. -| --v v . . .,-
:,,= =| . =
Or do you think that most of them hear or under-
stand? 1hey are only like cattle, nay, they are even far-
ther astray from the path.
|Surah al-lurqaan 25,:44|
As or the aliditv o the imaamah o someone who smokes ciga-
rettes. or or that matter anvone else amongst the disobedient. it
is not beitting that their likes be taken as an Imaam. Rather. it is
legislated that one choose rom the righteous amongst the Mus-
lims who are known or their uprightness and piousness. or the
matter concerning the imaamah is indeed a great one. And or
this reason the Messenger o Allah , said:
Let the one to lead the people be the one who has
memorized most the Book of Allah, and if they are equal
in recitation, then the most knowledgeable of the Sun-
nah, and if they are equal in the knowledge of the Sun-
nah, then the one who preceded in hijrah
, and if they
were in equal in hijrah, then the first of them in accepting
Islam. |Muslim|
And in the Saheehavn. on the authoritv o the Prophet , that
he said to Malik bin luwavrith and his companions:
34
Hijrah , , . : Lmigration rom a land o kur to the land o Islaam.
45
When the time for prayer arrives, let one of you call the
adhaan