Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 261
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 261 ‘They ask thee concerning liquor and gambling. Tell them: There is great harm in both, and also some benefit for people, but their harm is greater than their benefit’ (2:220). This was soon followed by: ‘O ye who believe approach not Prayer when you are no t in full possession of your faculties, until you realize the true import of your supplications’ (4:44). Finally, soon after the battle of Uhud, the command was revealed: ‘O ye who believe, liquor, gambling, idols and divining arrows are but abominations a nd Satanic devices. So turn wholly away from each one of them so that you may prosper’ (5:91). The Holy Prophet thereupon directed one of his Companions to proclaim the prohibition throughout Medina. Ans has related: ‘I was at that time engaged in serving liquor to Abu Talha Ansari and some other Muslims. When we heard the voice of the announcer, Ab u Talha asked me to find out what he was saying. I went out and discovered that he was proclaiming that liquor had been forbidden. When I returned to the company, I told them of the proclamation and Abu Talha directed me immediately to pour out all the liq uor contained in the vessels, which I did. On that day, liquor ran on the side of the streets of Medina. The Holy Prophet interpreted the divine commandment as meaning that the smallest quantity of that of which a large quantity would inebriate had been fo rbidden. ’ The setback that the Muslims suffered in the battle of Uhud encouraged the pagan Arab tribes to embark more daringly than before upon aggression against the Muslims. Only a short time had passed after the battle, while those who had been injured in the bat tle had not yet completely recovered from their wounds,