Fatwa on Smoking!!!

[al_Zayn]

I was shocked to see this fatwa regarding smoking.


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http://www.daruliftaa.com/question.a...nID=q-14175250

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
The ruling on smoking cigarettes, cigars, etc..., will defer according to the reason and situation in which one smokes.

1) If one becomes intoxicated due to smoking and the tobacco therein, then it will be unlawful (Haram) to smoke. This is clear and needs no evidence, as intoxications have been explicitly declared unlawful (haram) in Islam.

2) If one smokes due to illness and the remedy is by smoking, then this is permissible, provided, there is no intoxication.

3) If one habitually smokes such an amount, from which serious harm may normally be feared, then it will be unlawful, as Allah says in the Qur’an:

“And make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction.” (Surah al-Baqarah, V: 195)

4) In the case of normal smoking (meaning, there is no intoxication and not to an amount which normally seriously damages the health of the person who is smoking), as is the case with most smokers in general, the ruling is deferred upon by the contemporary scholars.

The Fuqaha and scholars of Indo/Pak are of the view that, it is permissible, however disliked (makruh Tanzihan), provided one takes care of cleansing the mouth after smoking. They are well aware of the medical evidence, and take it into consideration. This is what we find in their major Fatawa books and this is the Fatwa issued by the famous Dar al-Uloom, Karachi, where this humble student studied.

However, the great scholars from the Arab world, (with whom I also studied) hold smoking to be Haram and sinful. This is because of its great individual and societal harms, which have been prohibited in the Qur’an, as indicated in the verse mentioned earlier .Such Fatwas have been given by scholars from all four Madhhabs.

Now, one may follow one of the two opinions, as both are from the great scholars of the world. However, to abstain and refrain from smoking is always advisable, no matter what the reason may be, as it waists money, health and eventually life.

And Allah Knows Best


Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK

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dont you think that this will e jackpot fatwa for the smokers? even the Majlis Ulama [Ra] and the london Ulama [Muftisays.com] say to some extent it is more or less on the forbidden side..

what do you guys think....?

p.s i have great love for Mufti Ibn Adam [DB], and i have not chosen this fatwa to generalise him...he is a great Scholar. May Allah [Azza Wa Jal] forgve me and the Ummah.

[Yahya]

The Wahhabis are the ones who made the fatwa of "smoking is Haram" famous. There are some other scholars who have agree with them though. But they are incorrect.

The bottom line is that religious rulings must be based on "evidence." And the evidence that smoking is ALWAYS harmful is non-existent. There are too many people who smoke for decades without any harmful side-effects. Of course, there are also people who smoke a short time and they are seriously harmed. So therefore, we cannot say WITH CERTAINTY that smoking is always harmful.

As a result, the scholars have PROPERLY ruled that smoking is only Haram for those people who are harmed by it, and it is makrooh for those people who are not harmed by it.

I've only studied in the Arab countries, and this is still the judgment that I am typically given. So it is not a Deobandi thing. It is the judgment of many scholars from all over the Islamic world, and it is reached by properly applying the Usool of the Madhaahib.

[al_Zayn]

The Wahhabis are the ones who made the fatwa of "smoking is Haram" famous. There are some other scholars who have agree with them though. But they are incorrect.

The bottom line is that religious rulings must be based on "evidence." And the evidence that smoking is ALWAYS harmful is non-existent. There are too many people who smoke for decades without any harmful side-effects. Of course, there are also people who smoke a short time and they are seriously harmed. So therefore, we cannot say WITH CERTAINTY that smoking is always harmful.

As a result, the scholars have PROPERLY ruled that smoking is only Haram for those people who are harmed by it, and it is makrooh for those people who are not harmed by it.

I've only studied in the Arab countries, and this is still the judgment that I am typically given. So it is not a Deobandi thing. It is the judgment of many scholars from all over the Islamic world, and it is reached by properly applying the Usool of the Madhaahib.

so that means i can start smoking? joke!

there are probably Brother in here smoke, they'll be lovin it with the fatwa! lol

The salafis have a saying "you cannot say something is haraam unless Allah and his messneger said it is haraam" they say this line when we talk aout Prawns and Shrimps [Hanafi madhab ruling] .

then in turn i say, so smoking is not haraam because there exists NO Qati/Direct Daleel that smoking is Haraam so i say to him "you cannot say something is haraam unless Allah and his messneger said it is haraam", then he shuts up lol

Br Yahya.

[mosa707]

Assalamu alaykum,

Aren't you supposed to refrain from doubtful thing?

Jabir narrated that the Messenger of Allah said; "Whatever intoxicates in a greater quantity is also unlawful in its smaller quantity." (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah)

Umme Salmah narrates that the Messenger of Allah prohibited every intoxicant and Mufattir (anything which excites and irritates the mind, body and heart). (Abu Dawood)

I am not a scholar. But does cigarrate excites and irritates the mind, body and heart?

Jazakallah Khair

[abuhajira]

Mufti Ebrahim Desai had ruled it to be haram as its harmfull qualities are not incidental, they are assured. It is prohibited to smoke

"It is a universally accepted fact that smoking is injurious to the smoker and to his surroundings. Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “There is no causing harm to oneself and to other in Islam.” It is clear from the aforegoing that smoking is prohibited."
http://www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.p...a00d036469a0fd

It is an incorrect approach to adopt an opinion opposite to "salafi" since in some instances they might have come to the same conclusion..

[al_Zayn]

Mufti Ebrahim Desai had ruled it to be haram as its harmfull qualities are not incidental, they are assured. It is prohibited to smoke

"It is a universally accepted fact that smoking is injurious to the smoker and to his surroundings. Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “There is no causing harm to oneself and to other in Islam.” It is clear from the aforegoing that smoking is prohibited."
http://www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.p...a00d036469a0fd

It is an incorrect approach to adopt an opinion opposite to "salafi" since in some instances they might have come to the same conclusion..

Br AbuHajira

yeah i already stated that SA ulamas are more strict on this issue. but when one has conflicting fatwas people will obviosuly choose one thats suits them. naturally.

[fahid]

I've mentioned this at another forum before and I'll repeat it (with edit)....(this is not a fatwa)

There is something very important to consider. In Islam avoiding the Harm takes precedence over the Benefit and the Sin is always greater than the Benefit. How much of a benefit is there from smoking other than expressing yourself as being cool, making a profit or taking off stress. There are two major harms when dealing with smoking.

1. The Harm of yourself: We know it causes cancer, asthma, respiratory diseases and emphysema. It can also be a cause for heart disease. For woman it can cause birth defects when they are pregnant. It alters the color of your teeth/hands, it is an Addictive as well as even smoking lightly can place a person in health risk.

2. The Harm of another Person: This is what is called Second-Hand smoking. They say that a Cigarette for example produces 12 minutes of smoke, yet the smoker inhales 30 seconds of it. The unfortunate part is that the second-hand smoker is likely to gain the larger part of that smoke. Reports suggest that there are 4000 chemicals involved in a second-hand smoking situation. In Canada, 1000 non-smoking Canadians die just from Second-hand Smoke every year. It can make you sick, give you a sore throat, nasal irritation, headaches, coughing, wheezing, nausea and diziness. It can also trigger asthma attacks and increase the chances for breathing problems.

Logically if you were to count the number of Harm over the Benefits, place them on a balance the Harm is worse. Something like Sugar can be harmful if excessively used, but not lightly as smoking can be harmful when used even lightly. Anything Halal can even be used excessively and can be harmful or a be an issue. Praying Nafl Prayers is permissible, but excessiveness (24/7 non-stop Nafls) can be a problem such as neglecting the rights of your family etc.

In Islam a person could be praying, fasting and so on, but if he harms another person he can be sent to the hell-fire. Hence the Prophetic saying "Let there be no harming, nor reciprocating harm".

I pray that we as Muslims avoid it and not make the status of Makruh from scholars an excuse for us to smoke. Allah knows best.

[fahid]

Assalamu alaykum,

Aren't you supposed to refrain from doubtful thing?

Jabir narrated that the Messenger of Allah said; "Whatever intoxicates in a greater quantity is also unlawful in its smaller quantity." (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah)

Umme Salmah narrates that the Messenger of Allah prohibited every intoxicant and Mufattir (anything which excites and irritates the mind, body and heart). (Abu Dawood)

I am not a scholar. But does cigarrate excites and irritates the mind, body and heart?

Jazakallah Khair

"That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two if them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honour, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around the sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart." (Bukhari, Muslim).

[al_Zayn]

I've mentioned this at another forum before and I'll repeat it (with edit)....(this is not a fatwa)

There is something very important to consider. In Islam avoiding the Harm takes precedence over the Benefit and the Sin is always greater than the Benefit. How much of a benefit is there from smoking other than expressing yourself as being cool, making a profit or taking off stress. There are two major harms when dealing with smoking.

1. The Harm of yourself: We know it causes cancer, asthma, respiratory diseases and emphysema. It can also be a cause for heart disease. For woman it can cause birth defects when they are pregnant. It alters the color of your teeth/hands, it is an Addictive as well as even smoking lightly can place a person in health risk.

2. The Harm of another Person: This is what is called Second-Hand smoking. They say that a Cigarette for example produces 12 minutes of smoke, yet the smoker inhales 30 seconds of it. The unfortunate part is that the second-hand smoker is likely to gain the larger part of that smoke. Reports suggest that there are 4000 chemicals involved in a second-hand smoking situation. In Canada, 1000 non-smoking Canadians die just from Second-hand Smoke every year. It can make you sick, give you a sore throat, nasal irritation, headaches, coughing, wheezing, nausea and diziness. It can also trigger asthma attacks and increase the chances for breathing problems.

Logically if you were to count the number of Harm over the Benefits, place them on a balance the Harm is worse. Something like Sugar can be harmful if excessively used, but not lightly as smoking can be harmful when used even lightly. Anything Halal can even be used excessively and can be harmful or a be an issue. Praying Nafl Prayers is permissible, but excessiveness (24/7 non-stop Nafls) can be a problem such as neglecting the rights of your family etc.

In Islam a person could be praying, fasting and so on, but if he harms another person he can be sent to the hell-fire. Hence the Prophetic saying "Let there be no harming, nor reciprocating harm".

I pray that we as Muslims avoid it and not make the status of Makruh from scholars an excuse for us to smoke. Allah knows best.

I very much concur with you..

but one thing though, Daruliftaa.com need to re-edit their fatwa i think, for the benefit of others so that there can be a pure Ijma' on this issue...and no excuses can e made for the smoker.

[Revert]

I always use this line from Yusuf Estes:

"The Makruh is still ahted by Allah(swt), if the Rasullah came to your door would you offer him a cigarette?"

Makruh my not be Haraam but many state that it is still something hated by Allah and his messenger, so even if something is makruh, would you still want to do it knowing its hated by the creator?