The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 359
VIII - Blow of a Misfortune, Law of Inheritance, Prohibition of Alcohol, Treachery of the Disbelievers and Two Tragic Incidents 359 associated with it outweigh the gains. ” 1 Upon this, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra , who was perhaps most passionate from among all the Companions for the prohibition of alcohol, supplicated, “O God! Grant us a more categorical commandment on the issue of drinking. ” Upon this, the following verse was revealed, “O ye believers! Do not stand for Ṣalāt when you are in a state of intoxication. ” 2 At this, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra supplicated again, “O God! Send down a categorical injunction,” finally upon which the following verse was revealed: “O ye who believe! alcohol and the game of chance are vile and harmful actions, by which Satan desires to create animosity and enmity between you, and divert your attention from God and Ṣalāt; so abstain therefrom. ” 3 When this verse was revealed, the Muslims were satisfied and considering alcohol to be absolutely forbidden, they began to abstain from it. 4 As a matter of fact, after this they developed such a distance from alcohol that they began to feel anxiety with regards to the outcome of those Muslims who partook in the battle of Uḥud, whilst having consumed alcohol. Upon this, the verse was revealed that there is no blame on people for what they have consumed prior to its prohibition. 5 Therefore, to the end of 3 A. H. or in the beginning of 4 A. H. , but in any case, after the battle of Uḥud, drinking was categorically forbidden in Islām, and in the definition of alcohol, all those substances were deemed to be inferred which cause intoxication and place a veil upon the human faculty of sense. 6 In this manner, the Holy Prophet sa struck an axe upon that evil which may truly be referred to as the ‘mother of all evils. ’ At this place, we need not engage in a debate as to the nature of drinking from a logical perspective. The Qur’ān has itself accepted that there are certain benefits in alcohol as well, but that its harms outweigh the benefits. Fundamentally speaking, human logic cannot shed any greater light on this issue. It is also pleasing to note that after thousands of years of bitter experience, the world is coming towards the very same reality which Islām brought to light 1350 years ago from today. Societies are being formed in every 1 Al-Baqarah (2:220) 2 An-Nisā’ (4:44) 3 Al-Mā’idah (5:91) 4 Sunanu Abī Dāwūd, Kitābul-Ashribah, Bābun Fī Taḥrīmil-Khamr, Ḥadīth No. 3670 5 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratil-Mā’idah, Bābu Qaulihī ‘Laisa ‘Alalladhīna Āmanū. . . . . ’ , Ḥadīth No. 4620 6 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Ashribah, Bābul Khamri Minal-‘Asali Wa Huwal-Bit‘u, Ḥadīth No. 5585 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Ashribah, Bābu Mā Jā’a Fī Annal-Khamra Mā Khāmaral-‘Aqla Minash- Sharāb, Ḥadīth No. 5588 * Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābul-Ashribah, Bābu Bayāni Anna Kulla Muskirin Khamrun Wa Anna Kulla Khamrin Ḥarāmun, Ḥadīth No. 5221