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Islamic Ruling on Smoking Excerpts from the Opinions of Muslim Scholars concerning the Islamic Ruling on Smoking In
the following pages we present a summary of each fatwa, or religious opinion,
given by highly esteemed religious scholars in respect of the Islamic
ruling on smoking. This section is followed by the full text of each fatwa
to enable the reader to follow the reasoning used by the scholars in arriving
at these conclusions.
It has become abundantly clear that, sooner or later, smoking, in whichever
form and by whichever means, causes extensive health and financial damage
to smokers. It is also the cause of a variety of diseases. Consequently,
and on this evidence alone, smoking would be forbidden and should in no
way be practiced by Muslims. Furthermore, the obligation to preserve one's
health and wealth, as well as that of society as a whole, and medical
evidence now available 0n the dangers of smoking, further support this
view. Having
read the several medical reports on the effects of smoking and the risks
it poses to health and to society, I would say that it is absolutely forbidden
(haram). Smokers should stop smoking and non- smokers should never take
up the habit. The
Islamic ruling which one feels most happy about and which would leave
our consciences clear is that smoking is haram. It is not wholesome due
to its foul taste, bad smell and the serious health risks it causes. Now
that medical experts and specialists have settled this issue, the general
ruling on smoking would range from haram to censurable, bordering on haram.
The same ruling would apply to trading in tobacco and tobacco products.
Those who wish to trade in tobacco products ought to be aware of the consequences
of their action. Whether
smoking is ruled to be haram or censurable, fighting it is certainly supported
and approved in Islamic law, because, as a general rule, Muslims are urged
to preserve and safeguard all aspects of their physical, mental, spiritual
and economic health and well-being. Sooner
or later, all forms of smoking are bound to cause illness and disease.
Most serious of these are heart diseases and cancer of the respiratory
system and the urinary tracts. Smoking also involves wasting money. Accordingly,
smoking, from the Islamic point of view, is haram, and people should,
by virtue of their religious obligations as well as common sense, refrain
from it. Since
reliable religious and medical authorities have unanimously judged smoking
and drug taking harmful and wasteful to the human body, mind and soul,
and that they are an abuse of one's health and wealth, the Islamic ruling
could only be that they are haram. All those who import, trade in or use
these substances, whether in small or large quantities, should be liable
to the appropriate religious and legal penalties. Since
the damage caused by smoking to human life is so evident, there is no
doubt that it is haram. Based
on available evidence, we can categorically say that smoking is harmn,
and that it is the duty of all Muslims to fight this harmful and deadly
habit. 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. |
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