The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 357
VIII - Blow of a Misfortune, Law of Inheritance, Prohibition of Alcohol, Treachery of the Disbelievers and Two Tragic Incidents 357 Prohibition of Alcohol It has already been mentioned that alcohol was consumed heavily in Arabia. As a matter of fact, drinking had become a part of the national characteristics of the Arabs. No gathering was deemed complete without alcohol. As a matter of fact, among particular types of people, special times had been appointed when they would gather and intoxicate themselves. Due to his purity in nature, although the Holy Prophet sa had never consumed alcohol himself, and abstained from this ill-habit even prior to his prophethood, and various Companions had also refrained from its usage from the very beginning, until then, since alcohol had not been forbidden religiously, many people from among the Companions would drink. At times, the ill-effects of drinking would also manifest themselves among the Companions. As such, there is a narration in the Aḥādīth that on one occasion, in a state of intoxication, Ḥaḍrat Ḥamzah ra slaughtered the camels of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alī ra , and when the Holy Prophet sa went to admonish him, he did not recognize the Holy Prophet sa either and dealt with him in a manner of disregard. 1 Similarly, it is narrated that during a feast, one Companion happened to drink too much alcohol, due to which, when he stood up to lead the people of the gathering in Ṣalāt , in his recitation aloud, he incorrectly recited certain verses of the Holy Qur’ān. 2 Due to incidents of this nature, various Companions, among whom the name of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra has been recorded particularly, tossed and turned in anxiety, desiring a conclusive verdict with regards to drinking. However, although the Holy Prophet sa himself considered this habit to be very unpleasant and harmful, since a divine injunction had not been revealed in this respect, the Holy Prophet sa could do nothing. Finally, after the battle of Uḥud, to the end of 3 A. H. or in the beginning of 4 A. H. , a divine revelation was sent down whereby drinking was categorically declared unlawful in Islām. 3 The open-heartedness and pleasure with which the honourable Companions accepted this commandment of prohibition is a very interesting example of the spiritual influence which had been impressed upon their hearts by the blessed company of the Holy 1 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Chapter 12/12, Ḥadīth No. 4003 * Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābul-Ashribah, Bābu Taḥrīmil-Khamri. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 5129 2 Sunanu Abī Dāwūd, Kitābul-Ashribah, Bābun Fī Taḥrīmil-Khamr, Ḥadīth No. 3671 3 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 2, p. 468, Ghazwatu Ḥamrā’il-Asad, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)