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The
Evil of Smoking… Smoking
was discovered by the Spanish conquistadors in America, about 500 years
ago; from Spain, it spread to the rest of Europe, and thence to the Muslim
world about 100 years later. Unfortunately, while
the West has long realized the dangers of smoking and attempted to reduce
it, in the Muslim lands, it has spread with little or no interference. Early Muslim
scholars, confronted with this obnoxious habit, declared it to be makrooh
(detested), comparing it with such things as garlic and onions. This was
due to the fact that, at that time, no one was aware of the harmful effects
produced by smoking, which include, cancer, heart disease, strokes,
miscarriages and premature birth in women and several other diseases. Since it has become
clear that smoking is harmful, it is obligatory upon all Muslims to
abstain from it, for Allaah has said: {
And do not kill yourselves, Allaah is indeed
Merciful to you }
(Soorah 4:29), and the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Let there
be no harming and no reciprocating harm.” (Narrated by
Ahmad). Unfortunately, some
Muslims, either deliberately, or through ignorance, have been guilty of
misleading Muslims, by repeating the earlier judgments of scholars, that
smoking is only disliked, and therefore, not forbidden. The Messenger of
Allaah
(pbuh) also said: “The feet of man will not depart, on
the Day of Judgement, from his standing before his Lord, until he is asked
about five things: His lifetime and how he spent it; his youth and how he
used it; his wealth - where he earned it and how he spent it; and how he
followed what he knew.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi) He
(pbuh) also said: “Whoever imbibes poison, killing
himself with it, will be consuming his poison in the Hell-fire and will
dwell therein eternally.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) Smoking is also
harmful to the human mind and reason. One only has to observe a smoker who
has been deprived of his cigarettes for a while: He is rude, nervous,
quick to anger and incapable of concentration. He cannot relax until he
has had his “fix”. He is affected by insomnia, indigestion, episodes
of acute anxiety and so on… The effect upon
those around him is almost equally unpleasant: They have to bear the
disgusting fumes emitted by him; even a mild rebuke habitually elicits a
violent reaction from the smoker, who is apparently only aware of the
violation of what he perceives to be his rights, i.e. his right to inflict
this foul smoke upon any person in any place. It has been firmly
established by scientists, that secondary smoking is at least, if not more
harmful than primary smoking, particularly for children. Asthma,or allergy
sufferers are forced to vacate the vicinity of the smoker. Allaah’s Messenger
(pbuh) said: “Anyone who believes in Allaah and the Last
Day should not hurt his neighbour.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) He
(pbuh) also said: “Verily, the example of a good
companion and a bad one is like that of a perfume seller and a blacksmith:
As for the perfume seller, he would either give you (some perfume), or you
would buy (some) from him, or at least, you would get a good smell from
him. And as for the blower of the bellows, you would either get a foul
odour from him, or he would burn your clothes.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim) Smoking is also a
waste of one’s wealth on things which offer only harm and no benefit,
for Allaah, Most High says: { And do not waste
[your wealth] extravagantly. Indeed the squanderers are brethren to the
devils. }
(Soorah 17:26-27) and the Messenger of Allaah
(pbuh)said: “Allaah hates for you three things:
Gossipping, begging and wasting money.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim). Smoking involves
consuming an evil substance. It has a noxious smell, a horrible taste and
is harmful to the body. Allaah says: { He [the Prophet (pbuh)
]
who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right, forbid them from
wrongdoing, make lawful to them the good things of life, forbid for them
the evil things and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that
were [formerly] upon them }
(Soorah 7:157) A smoker is not only
a faasid (corrupt person), but also a mufsid (one who
spreads corruption): Because of his bad example, his family members,
friends and colleagues may also smoke. It is useless to say: “Do as I
say, and not as I do.” The
problem is exacerbated when the smoker affects an air of religious piety
or knowledge, because many people will take him as a role model. This
multiplies his sins and increases his burden. Genuinely pious
people avoid smoking and smokers, thus the smoker is excluded from the
company of the righteous. Smokers find fasting
during the month of Ramadhaan more difficult thatn non-smokers, because
they are suffering a form of drug addiction. They rarely fast voluntary
fasts since even the obligatory fast is a trial for them. The prohibition of
smoking applies equally to the user, the seller, the manufacturer, the
advertiser and all those involved in its production, sale or consumption,
for Allaah says: {
Co-operate with
one another in righteousness and piety, and do not cooperate with one
another in sinning and transgression. And fear Allaah; verily, Allaah is
severe in punishment }
(Soorah 5:2) and the Messenger of Allaah
(pbuh)said: “Indeed, when Allaah prohibits something, he
prohibits eating its price.” (Narrated by Ahmad) THE END |