By: Dr Zakir Naik
Drunk and Disorderly
Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibited in
Islam?
Alcohol has been the scourge of human society since
time immemorial. It continues to cost countless human lives, and causes
terrible misery to millions throughout the world. Alcohol is the root cause of
several problems facing society.
The statistics of soaring crime rates, increasing
instances of mental illnesses and millions of broken homes throughout the world
bear mute testimony to the destructive power of alcohol.
1. Prohibition of alcohol in the Qur’an
The Glorious Qur’an prohibits the consumption of
alcohol in the following verse:
"O ye who believe!
Intoxicants and Gambling,
(Dedication of) stones,
And (divination by) arrows,
Are an Abomination –
Of Satan’s handiwork;
Eschew such (abomination),
That ye may prosper." [Al-Qur’an 5:90]
2. Prohibition of alcohol in the Bible
The Bible prohibits the consumption of alcohol in
the following verses:
a. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging;
and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." [Proverbs 20:1]
b. "And be not drunk with wine."
[Ephesians 5:18]
3. Alcohol inhibits the inhibitory centre
The human beings possess an inhibitory centre in
their brains. This inhibitory centre prevents the person from doing things that
he considers wrong.
For instance a person does not normally use abusive
language while addressing his parents or elders. If he has to answer the call
of nature, his inhibitory centre will prevent him from doing so in public.
Therefore he uses the toilet.
When a person consumes alcohol, the inhibitory
centre itself is inhibited. That is precisely the reason that an inebriated
person is often found to be indulging in behaviour that is completely
uncharacteristic of him.
For instance the intoxicated person is found to use
abusive and foul language and does not realize his mistake even if he is
addressing his parents. Many even urinate in their clothes. Neither do they
talk nor walk properly. They even misbehave.
4. Cases of adultery, rape, incest and AIDS are
found more among alcoholics
According to National Crime Victimization Survey
Bureau of Justice (U.S. Department of Justice) in the year 1996 alone
everyday on an average 2,713 rapes took place. The statistics tell us that the
majority of the rapists, were intoxicated while committing the crime. The same
is true in cases of molestation.
According to statistics, 8% of Americans commit
incest i.e. one in every twelve to thirteen persons in America is involved in
incest. Almost all the cases of incest are due to intoxication of one or both
the persons involved.
One of the major factors associated with the spread
of AIDS, the most dreaded disease, is alcoholism.
5. Every alcoholic was initially a social drinker
Many may argue in favour of liquor by calling
themselves ‘social drinkers’. They claim that they only have one or two pegs
and they have self-control and so never get intoxicated. Investigations reveal
that every alcoholic started as a social drinker.
Not a single alcoholic or drunkard initially starts
drinking with the intention of becoming an alcoholic or a drunkard. No social
drinker can say that I have been having alcohol for several years and that I
have so much self-control that I have never been intoxicated even a single
time.
6. If a person is intoxicated just once and commits
something shameful, it will remain with him for a lifetime.
Suppose a ‘social drinker’ loses his self-control
just once. In a state of intoxication he commits rape or incest. Even if the
act is later regretted, a normal human being is likely to carry the guilt
throughout his life. Both the perpetrator and the victim are irreparably and
irreversibly damaged.
7. Alcohol is prohibited in the Hadith
a. The Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace be upon
him) said:
In Sunan Ibn-I-Majah Volume 3, Book of Intoxicants,
Chapter 30 Hadith No. 3371.
"Alcohol is the mother of all evils and it is
the most shameful of evils."
b. In Sunan Ibn-I-Majah Volume 3, Book of
Intoxicants, Chapter 30 Hadith No. 3392:
"Anything which intoxicates in a large
quantity, is prohibited even in a small quantity."
Thus there is no excuse for a nip or a tot.
c. Not only those who drink alcohol are cursed but
also those who deal with them directly or indirectly are cursed by Allah.
According to Sunan Ibn-I-Majah Volume 3, Book of
Intoxicants, Chapter 30 Hadith No. 3380.
It was reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with
him), that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"God’s curse falls on ten groups of people who
deal with alcohol. The one who distills it, the one for whom it has been
distilled, the one who drinks it, the one who transports it, the one to who it
has been brought, the one whom serves it, the one who sells it, the one who
utilizes money from it, the one who buys it and the one who buys it for someone
else."
8. Diseases associated with alcoholism
There are several scientific reasons for the
prohibition of consumption of intoxicants i.e. alcohol. The maximum number of
deaths in the world related to any one particular cause is due to the
consumption of alcohol.
Millions of people die every year only because of
intake of alcohol. I need not go into the details of all the ill-effects of
alcohol since most of them are commonly known. Below is a simple list of few of
the alcohol related illnesses:
- Cirrhosis of Liver is the most well-known
alcohol associated disease.
- Others are Cancer of Oesophagus, Cancer of
Head and Neck, Cancer of Liver (Hepatoma), Cancer of Bowel, etc.
- Oesophagitis, Gastritis, Pancreatitis and
Hepatitis are linked with alcohol consumption.
- Cardiomyopathy, Hypertension, Coronary
Artherosclerosis, Angina and Heart Attacks are linked with heavy alcohol
intakes.
- Strokes, Apoplexy, Fits and different types of
Paralysis are linked with alcohol intake.
- Peripheral Neuropathy, Cortical Atrophy,
Cerebellar Atrophy are well-known syndromes caused by alcohol
consumption.
- Wernicke – Korsakoff syndrome with amnesia of
recent events, confabulations and retainment of memory to old events with
different types of paralysis are mainly due to thiamine deficiency due to
excessive alcohol intake.
- Beriberi and other deficiencies are not uncommon among alcoholics. Even Pellagra occurs in alcoholics.
9. Alcoholism is a ‘disease’
Medical doctors have now turned liberal towards
alcoholics and call alcoholism a disease rather than an addiction.
The Islamic Research Foundation has published a
pamphlet that says:
If alcohol is a disease, it is the only disease
that:
- Is sold in bottles
- Is advertised in newspapers, magazines, on
radio and television
- Has licensed outlets to spread it
- Produces revenue for the government
- Brings violent deaths on the highways
- Destroys family life and increases crime
- Has no germs or viral cause
ALCOHOLISM IS NOT A DISEASE – IT IS SATAN’S
HANDIWORK
Allah (swt) in His Infinite Wisdom has warned us
against this snare of Satan. Islam is called the "Deen-ul-Fitrah" or
the natural religion of Man. All its injunctions are aimed at preserving the natural
state of man.
Alcohol is a deviation from this natural state, for
the individual as well as for society. It degrades man to a level below that of
the beasts he claims to be superior to. Hence the consumption of alcohol is
prohibited in Islam.
References: www.ilovezakirnaik.com
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