Liquor is Absolutely Haram:<\/strong> It makes no difference if the quantity consumed is less or more; liquor is absolutely Har\u0101m; whether pure or mixed. Thus even if a person licks a single drop it is Har\u0101m whether he gets intoxicated or not. In the same way if liquor is consumed by mixing it with other things, it is still Har\u0101m.<\/p>\n Allama Hilli (r.a.) has quoted an authentic tradition from Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.), that he said: Intoxicant Liquids<\/strong> Giving Liquor to Children<\/strong> Liquor at the Dinner Table<\/strong> Wine and Medicine<\/strong> Three Exceptions<\/strong> Wine Contains No Cure<\/strong> Drunkard on the Death-bed<\/strong> It makes no difference if the quantity consumed is less or more; liquor is absolutely Har\u0101m; whether pure or mixed. Thus even if a person licks a single drop it is Har\u0101m whether he gets intoxicated or not. In the same way if liquor is consumed by mixing it with other things, it is still Har\u0101m.
\n\u201cIf more of it intoxicates, then to consume even a bit of it is Har\u0101m.\u201d
\nA person enquired from Imam (a.s.), \u201cbut I dilute it with water?\u201d
\nImam (a.s.) told him,
\n\u201cA Har\u0101m thing does not become Hal\u0101l by mixing it with water. Fear Allah, refrain from partaking of it.\u201d (Mustanad ush-Shia)
\nUmar Ibn Hanzala says that he enquired from Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.): \u201cDoes it matter if as much water is mixed in wine so that it is no more intoxicating?\u201d
\nImam (a.s.) replied: \u201cNo! By Allah it is not. Even if a drop of wine falls into a well full of water it does not become Hal\u0101l. Rather the whole well has to be emptied.\u201d (Furu\u2019 al-K\u0101fi)
\nIbn Wahab has narrated this tradition from Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.): \u201cEvery intoxicant is Har\u0101m. Something that intoxicates only when consumed in large quantities, is also not allowed to be taken even in a lesser quantity.\u201d
\nThe narrator says, \u201cI asked, \u2018Then if a Har\u0101m thing is mixed in a huge quantity of water, does it become permissible?\u2019\u201d
\nImam (a.s.) flailed his arms twice, indicating emphatically that it does not. (Furu al-K\u0101fi)
\nLiquor is harmful irrespective of the quantity consumed. Even if a drop of the poison enters the body it has harmful effects on it, whether apparent immediately or not. If you mix a few buckets of red dye in a pond of water, the whole pond water turns red. But on the other hand if you throw a glassful of ink in a pond of clear water it would not bring about any appreciable change in its appearance, yet, could you say that the ink has not affected the water at all? Certainly not! If the water is subjected to the process of distillation the glassful of ink could be recovered. If it enters the body it will cause harm.
\nA person who tastes liquor, one drop at a time, soon gets addicted to it till he needs to drink more and more of it. Consequently a stage is reached when he is unable to rid himself of this habit howsoever hard he may try. A stone is eroded when water drips upon it over a period of time. Similarly alcohol erodes the liver and other cells of the body. Grapes, raisins and dates, when unfermented have medicinal properties and are wholesome and beneficial to the body. But as soon as fermentation sets in these fruits and wine is produced they turn harmful and prohibited.<\/p>\n
\nIf an intoxicant is a liquid in its natural state, in addition to its being Har\u0101m, it is also najis (impure). But if an intoxicating substance is solid in its natural form and it is available as a solution, like opium or hemp for consumption, it is not najis, but its consumption is Har\u0101m like that of wine.<\/p>\n
\nOffering liquor to others is also Har\u0101m even if it is to a young, naive child. The book, \u2018Mustanad ush.-Shia\u2019 contains Three traditions regarding this topic. The gist of these traditions is that one who is responsible for serving liquor to young children will have to drink an equal quantity of the boiling water of Hell, on the day of Qiy\u0101ma, by Allah (S.w.T.)\u2019s command.<\/p>\n
\nIf liquor is served on a table, it is Har\u0101m to sit there and eat even if one does not touch the wine. Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) informs that the Holy Prophet (S) said: \u201cAccursed, accursed is the one who sits at a table where wine is being served.\u201d (Wasa\u2019il ul-Shia)
\nThe Holy Prophet (S) also says: \u201cOne who believes in Allah and the last day, must not even sit at the table where wine is kept.\u201d (Mas\u0101lik of Shah\u012bd Thani)
\nImam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says: \u201cDo not sit with drunkards because when the curse descends it engulfs all the people in the company of the drunkards.\u201d (Wasa\u2019il ul-Shia, Chapter 33)
\nSome scholars have stated that it is not permitted to be in the company of people where anything Har\u0101m is being done. For example, backbiting about a Muslim. It is then obligatory on a person to leave immediately if possible and be free of the sin of just being in this company. Also, if by his leaving, the others will discontinue their sinful action, it is obligatory on him to do so.<\/p>\n
\nAccording to the traditions of the Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.) to take wine as medicine is also Har\u0101m. Rather, the Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.) have prohibited the consumption of any intoxicant as medicine. The jurists unanimously agree that one should refrain from consuming any intoxicant to cure a disease or to ward off pain. Allah (S.w.T.) has not reposed any curative effect in any intoxicant.<\/p>\n
\nCertain Mujtahids have stated that there are three exceptions where an intoxicant could be taken as medicine.
\nFirst of all the person should know that his malady is curable.
\nSecondly it must be that if this treatment is not taken it would result in death or extreme pain. Thirdly, there should be no other cure for this ailment.
\nIf these conditions are fulfilled, the patient can be given an intoxicant as medicine but only just enough to cure his disease.
\nBut as we have stated, Allah (S.w.T.) has not bestowed any cure in a Har\u0101m thing. Hence the above conditions are mentioned just for the sake of an obligation. Such a situation can hardly arise.<\/p>\n
\nIbn abi Yaz\u016br told Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.): \u201cI am suffering from a disease. When the pain intensifies I drink some wine of grapes and the pain subsides\u201d. Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, \u201cDo not drink. It is Har\u0101m; it is nothing but Shaitan who is preying upon you to involve you in sins. When he loses all hope of making you drink he will leave you.\u201d
\nIbn abi Yaz\u016br returned to his native place, Kufa. He was in intense pain and his people brought for him wine of grapes and persuaded him to drink it. Ibn abi Yaz\u016br said, \u201cBy Allah! I will not taste a drop of it.\u201d
\nHe bore the pain for some days. At last his pain receded and he never suffered from it for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n
\nAbu Basir says that Umm Khalid Abadiya presented herself before Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) when Abu Basir was also present. Umm Khalid said,
\n\u201cMay I be sacrificed for you, on the day of Qiy\u0101ma. I will tell Allah that I have done as commanded by Ja\u2019far ibn Muhammad (a.s.). Physicians have told me to knead the flour with grape wine and eat the bread. This will cure the terrible pain of my heart. I ask you, shall I do this?\u201d
\nImam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) replied to Umm Khalid,
\n\u201cNo! By Allah I will not permit you even a drop of wine. Don\u2019t taste even a drop of it. Otherwise when your soul reaches here (Imam pointed towards his throat) you will only regret.\u201d Then Imam (a.s.) asked Umm Khalid thrice.
\n\u201cHave you understood?\u201d
\n\u201cYes\u201d, replied Umm Khalid.
\nA student of Fuzail Ibn Ayaz was on his deathbed. Fuzail came to him and sitting near his head began to recite Surah Yasin (al-Qur\u2019an, chapter 36). The disciple told his teacher, \u201cDo not recite the Qur\u2019an!\u201d Fuzail became silent. Then he began to urge his disciple to repeat \u201cLa ilaha illallah\u201d. The student said:
\n\u201cI will not repeat this formula because I am disgusted with it!\u201d and he died in the same condition.
\nFuzail Ibn Ayaz was extremely perturbed. He returned home after completing his duties and went to sleep. He saw his student undergoing punishment. He asked him, \u201cWhat is the reason of your being deprived of faith (Im\u0101n) at the time of your death? You were one of my best students.\u201d
\nThe student replied: \u201cThere are three reasons, firstly, I used to backbite too much, secondly, I used to be jealous, thirdly, a physician had prescribed for my malady a cup of wine every year. He told me that if I do not drink, the disease would never be cured. Every year I drank one cup of wine.\u201d (Safinat\u2019ul-Bih\u0101r Vol. I page 428)
\nNumerous traditional reports mention that \u201cHar\u0101m\u201d things do not contain any cure. In the same way one must refrain from taking any medicine that contains even a drop of najis alcohol.
\nIt is stated on page no 380 of the Journal of Anjuman Tablighate Islami: \u201cThere is not a single doctor today who considers liquor to have any cure. No doctor permits even a small quantity of the same. If a physician prescribes liquor as a medicine for some cure, it must be understood that his medical knowledge is deficient.\u201d
\nA hundred years ago some of the doctors and physicians believed that wine had some curative effects. But recent researches show that wine not only lacks any beneficial value but is in fact harmful. The molecules of alcohol on entering the blood stream affect the white blood corpuscles. These corpuscles perform the function of protecting the human body against infectious disease.
\nThe white blood cells engulf the disease causing germs and exterminate them. Anything that impairs the functioning of these blood cells exposes a person to numerous diseases because his body is unable to protect itself. Some people think that wine helps in digestion. This is just a false notion. The reality is just the opposite. Actually wine causes indigestion. The food hardens in the stomach and becomes indigestible. You can experiment by pouring wine upon a piece of cooked soft meat. It will become tough like leather, and absolutely unchewable. Wine also destroys the digestive juices secreted by the stomach and leads to flatulence and indigestion. Wine destroys appetite. Besides, alcohol causes addiction and wine taken for medicinal purpose soon becomes an addiction that is difficult to get rid of. We may observe that some alcoholics appear perfectly healthy even after years of addiction. But what is apparent may be different from reality. If a medical check up is carried out, it will reveal the deteriorating condition of the internal organs and the digestive system of these addicts. Besides, often the maladies are not associated with alcohol and are attributed to other factors. It should be also noted that alcohol affects some people more than others. Some have a hereditary capacity to withstand the rouging effects of alcohol. They should thank Providence for it and refrain from drinking so that they can protect their future generation from developing a weakness for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nAllama Hilli (r.a.) has quoted an authentic tradition from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.), that he said:
\n“If more of it intoxicates, then to consume even a bit of it is Har\u0101m.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7376],"tags":[20286,20274,20285,19650,19669],"class_list":["post-4668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jurisprudence","tag-haram-halal","tag-islamic-jurisprudence","tag-liquor","tag-shia","tag-shia-studies-world-assembly"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4668\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}