213. A little above, the verses spoke in favorable terms of the Christian asceticism, and its good effect on their masses. This verse warns the Muslims to beware of excessive renunciation (Shafi`).

Although, once again, the application is common, it is reported that this verse was occasioned by three Companions of the Prophet who met together. One of them promised that then onward he would pray the whole night and not sleep. The other said he would fast uninterruptedly. The third said that he would not go into women anymore. When the Prophet came to know about them he told them:

أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ ، لَكِنِّي أَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ ، وَأُصَلِّي وَأَرْقُدُ ، وَأَتَزَوَّجُ ، فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي

"As for me, I am more fearful of Allah than you, and more God-conscious, yet I fast and discontinue fasting, sleep but also pray in the night and I marry women. Lo! Whoever fought shy of my Sunnah is not of me."

(A similar report narrated by ‘A'isha is also in the Sahihayn: Ibn Kathir).

Other reports suggest that it was `Uthman b. Maz`un's conduct toward his wife that invoked the revelation of this verse. It is said that his wife visited ‘A'isha in a shabby state. On enquiry she complained that `Uthman would not even touch her. ‘A'isha mentioned it to the Prophet who spoke to `Uthman the words of the above hadith (Zamakhshari, Ibn Jarir).

Ibn Kathir adds: Masruq said in a report of Hakim, who said it meets with the requirement of the Sahihayn:

أُتِيَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بِضَرْعٍ فَتَنَحَّى رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُهُ، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ:" "يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ" [المائدة: 87] أَطْعِمْ، وَاكَفّرْ".

"We were with `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud when he was presented with a dish of udder. A man turned away saying, ‘I have declared it unlawful unto myself.' Ibn Mas`ud recited this verse: ‘Believers! Treat not as unlawful that which has been made lawful unto you,’ and then said, ‘Eat, and expiate for your oath.'"

Imam Razi raises a question. It is well known that the love of this world gets the better of the people's heart. Now, if a person freely indulges in the pleasures of this world, his inclination to the lower world spirals down. With every increase in his inclination, there is a proportionate increase in his greed of the worldly goods and pleasures, taking away much of his time and efforts which are entirely devoted to obtaining those goods and the pleasures. This weakens his spiritual contacts with the higher world, hinders his obedience to Allah's commands, and causes a decrease in his efforts to seek the Hereafter. His base self is little inclined, if at all, towards seeking the knowledge of the divine. What then is the wisdom in Allah's behest: "Believers! Treat not as unlawful that which has been made lawful unto you?" Answering the question Imam Razi writes: Firstly, excessive asceticism and a total abnegation of the material blessings and the sensual things weakens the mind and the heart. With (an extremely low indulgence) thoughts become polluted and the mind gets muddled. Whereas, as it is well known, the best of blessings and the greatest of bounties is the ma`rifah of Allah. If excessive asceticism hinders it, then it better be prohibited. Secondly, it is recognized that a free indulgence in the world hinders a man from attaining spiritual heights. That is true. But that is true of only the weak ones. The strong of will are not thus affected. Therefore, an indulgence in the world is of no harm to them. We notice for instance, with regard to a weak person, that when he attends to an affair, he cannot do justice to another affair at the same time. But that is not true of a people of strong character. Extreme asceticism is itself a kind of weakness, and a middle road is best suited for most people. Thirdly, by indulgence in this world, a person might aim at the next, as a total avoidance creates disinclination in the carnal self for anything sublime. Finally, excessive asceticism promises destruction of this world. It prides in non productive attitudes. Giving up such an attitude, coupled with a firm knowledge of the divine, promotes the development of this world as well as the Hereafter.

214. There are three ways in which a man can declare a lawful, unlawful unto himself. First, he believes that one of Allah's lawful things is actually unlawful. That is kufr. Second, he swears that he will not partake of one of Allah's lawful things. He should break the oath and expiate. Third, he does not believe in its unlawfulness nor declares it so to himself verbally, but does not partake of it for a good reason. It might, for instance, be harmful to his body. This kind of abstinence is permissible (Thanwi).

While Thanwi adds that the abstinence of certain articles of food that has been reported of the Sufiya, belongs to the last class mentioned above and was a means of avoiding certain harmful spiritual effects, he also states that such abstaining can only be for a short period. If someone abstains from one of the lawful blessings of Allah, lifelong, without the reasons of physical harm to him, then, surely, that would be treating a lawful thing of Allah as unlawful (Au.).

215. It is said that Hasan was told about a man who would not drink faaludha (a kind of soft drink) because he did not think he would be able to give thanks to Allah. Hasan asked: "Does the man drink cold water?" They said yes. He said: "That is an ignorant man. The blessing of Allah in cold water is greater than it is in faludha."

216. When Allah chided those who had vowed not to partake of the good things of the world, he showed a way in which they could break their vows and expiate them (Razi).

Qurtubi adds: If the oath is about a sinful thing, then a man is neither bound to act by it, nor is he required to offer expiation for it. Expiation is for an oath about a lawful thing. The Prophet has said:

مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِهَا وَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ

"If someone swears about a thing but finds something better than that, then, let him break the oath and expiate it" (Qurtubi).

For some more commentary see note 467 of surah al Baqarah of this work.

The hadith is in the Sahihayn (Au.).

217. A ghayr mustati` is defined as one on whom zakah is not obligatory (Alusi, Shabbir).

218. When Allah Most High instructed the believers in the previous verses, not to declare the lawful as unlawful unto themselves, He followed it up by stating that they ought not to declare the unlawful as lawful unto themselves, crossing the bounds set by Him (Ibn Jarir).

219. Asad writes: "According to all the lexicographers, the word khamr, (derived from the verb khamara "he concealed" or "obscured") denotes every substance the use of which obscures the intellect, i.e., intoxicates. Hence, the prohibition of intoxicants laid down in this verse comprises not merely alcoholic drinks, but also drugs which have a similar effect. The only exception from this total prohibition arises in case of "dire necessity" (in the strictest sense of the word), as stipulated in the last sentence of verse 3 of this surah: that is to say, in cases where illness or a bodily accident makes the administration of intoxicating drugs or of alcohol imperative and unavoidable."

The above seems to have its source in Al Manar, where Rashid Rida has added the condition (apart from lack of an alternative medicine), of recommendation by a trustworthy medical authority for administration of the unlawful. This is in view of the strong disapproval expressed in a hadith in Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud and others which reports the Prophet (saws) as having said when asked about the healing qualities of wine:

إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِدَوَاءٍ وَلَكِنَّهَا دَاءٌ

"It is not a medicine, rather, a disease" (Au.).

Prohibition of Wine

Ahmad has the following report:

عَنْ نَافِعِ بن كَيْسَانَ الدِّمَشْقِيِّ، أَنَّ أَبَاهُ كَيْسَانَ نَفْسَهُ أَخْبَرَهُ , أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَتَّجِرُ فِي الْخَمْرِ فِي زَمَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَقْبَلَ مِنَ الشَّامِ وَمَعَهُ خَمْرٌ فِي الزِّقَاقِ يُرِيدُ بِهِ التِّجَارَةَ، فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي جِئْتُ بِشَرَابٍ جَيِّدٍ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:"يَا كَيْسَانُ، إِنَّهَا قَدْ حُرِّمَتْ"، قَالَ كَيْسَانُ: فَأَذْهَبُ فَأَبِيعُهَا يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ؟، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:"إِنَّهَا قَدْ حُرِّمَتْ، وَحَرَامٌ ثَمَنُهَا"، فَانْطَلَقَ كَيْسَانُ إِلَى الزِّقَاقِ فَأَخَذَهَا بِأَرْجُلِهِ، ثُمَّ أَهْرَقَهَا جَمِيعًا ).

Nafi` b. Kaysan reports from his father that he used to trade in wine during the time of the Prophet. He came back from Syria with wine with several skin-bags of wine to sell them down here. He met the Prophet and told him, “Messenger of Allah, I have brought some fine wine.” He told him, “O Kaysan, it has been prohibited.” Kaysan asked, “Should I sell it all, Prophet of Allah.” He replied, “That has been prohibited and its price is unlawful.” So Kaysan upturned the bags and poured out all of it.”

(One of the narrators of the above report was not too trustworthy: Au.).

Ibn Jarir reports Ibn `Abbas as saying:

إنما نزل تحريم الخمر في قبيلتين من قبائل الأنصار، شربوا فلما أن ثمل عبث بعضهم ببعض، فلما أن صحوا جعل الرجل يرى الأثر بوجهه ورأسه ولحيته، فيقول: صنع هذا بي، أخي فلان -وكانوا إخوة ليس في قلوبهم ضغائن والله لو كان بي رؤوفًا رحيمًا ما صنع هذا بي، حتى وقعت الضغائن في قلوبهم فأنزل الله هذه الآية

"What occurred between two tribes of the Ansar became a cause of prohibition of wine. They drank until they were intoxicated. They played pranks with each other in that state. When they recovered some of them saw marks on their faces and said, ‘So and so did this to me. By Allah, if he had any regard for me he would not have done it.' That aroused rancor in their hearts, while there was never any rancor in their hearts before that. So Allah revealed this verse.

Ibn Kathir writes: Abu Buraydah reported his father:

عن أبي بريدة، عن أبيه قال: بينا نحن قُعُود على شراب لنا، ونحن رَمْلة، ونحن ثلاثة أو أربعة، وعندنا باطية لنا، ونحن نشرب الخمر حلا إذ قمت حتى آتي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأسلم عليه، إذ نزل تحريم الخمر: { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ } إلى آخر الآيتين { فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ } ؟ فجئت إلى أصحابي فقرأتها إلى قوله: { فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُون } ؟ قال: وبعض القوم شَربته في يده، قد شرب بعضها وبقي بعض في الإناء، فقال بالإناء تحت شفته العليا، كما يفعل الحجام، ثم صبوا ما في باطيتهم فقالوا: انتهينا ربنا

"During the days when wine was lawful, I drank in the company of a few friends. Later, I went up to the Prophet. By that time the verse prohibiting it had been revealed. I went back to those with whom I was drinking and read out this verse. Some of them had wine-cups in their hands, half emptied. When they heard the exhortation, ‘Will you then desist?' they threw it away saying, ‘We desist, O Our Lord.'"

It is also reported in Muslim and Nasa'i that:

كان لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صديق من ثقيف -أو: من دوس-فلقيه يوم الفتح براوية خمر يهديها إليه، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يا فلان، أما علمت أن الله حرمها؟" فأقبل الرجل على غلامه فقال: اذهب فبعها. فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يا فلان، بماذا أمرته؟" فقال: أمرته أن يبيعها. قال: "إن الذي حرم شربها حرم بيعها". فأمر بها فأفرغت في البطحاء.

A Thaqafi or Dawsi friend of the Prophet met him on the day Makkah fell. He had wine in his hand. The Prophet asked him if he did not know that wine was prohibited. The man turned to his slave and ordered him to sell it off. The Prophet asked him about his instructions to his slave. He said, “I have asked him to sell it off.” The Prophet said: "He who declared its drinking unlawful has declared its trading unlawful." The man ordered his slave to throw it all away. (Humaydi's version says that the man then expressed his intention to gift it away to the Jews but the Prophet prevented him from doing that also: Rashid Rida).

Another report in Abu Ya`la and Ahmad says that:

عن تميم الداري أنه كان يهدي لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم راوية من خمر، فلما أنزل الله تحريم الخمر جاء بها، فلما رآها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ضحك وقال: "إنها قد حرمت بعدك". قال: يا رسول الله، فأبيعها وأنتفع بثمنها؟ فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "لعن الله اليهود، حرم عليهم شُحُوم البقر والغنم، فأذابوه، وباعوه، والله حَرّم الخمر وثمنها"

A man presented some wine to the Prophet. When he met him, the Prophet smiled at him and told him about the prohibition. The man asked him if he could sell it off. He replied: "Allah cursed the Jews who, when fat was prohibited to them, they liquefied it and sold it. Allah has declared wine as well as its price unlawful."

Abu Da'ud, Ibn Majah and Ahmad have preserved a hadith of Ibn `Umar which reports the Prophet as having said:

عن أَنَسٍ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْخَمْرِ عَشْرَةً عَاصِرَهَا وَمُعْتَصِرَهَا وَشَارِبَهَا وَحَامِلَهَا وَالْمَحْمُولَةُ إِلَيْهِ وَسَاقِيَهَا وَبَائِعَهَا وَآكِلَ ثَمَنِهَا وَالْمُشْتَرِي لَهَا وَالْمُشْتَرَاةُ

"Allah has cursed wine in ten different ways. He cursed its squeezer, the one for whom it was squeezed, its drinker, transporter, he for whom it was transported, the server, buyer, he who consumed its price, buyer and one for whom it was bought."

And, according to a hadith in the Sunan of Bayhaqi, Thabit has reported that he asked Ibn `Umar about the sale (and purchase) of wine. He said, "Let me tell you about it. I was with the Prophet in the mosque. He was sitting with his legs folded against his breast and tied up with a cloth to his breast. He ordered, ‘Whoever has any wine in his house, let him bring it.' They began to bring in. Someone said, ‘I have a leather bottle.' Another said, ‘I have a wine skin.' When they had all brought in the wine, he ordered, ‘Let all of you assemble at such and such a place at Baqi` and then call me over.' When they had done that they called him over. He rose up to go, and I accompanied him. I was on his right side and he was supporting himself on my shoulder. Then Abu Bakr arrived. He pulled me to his left side, making room for Abu Bakr on the right. Then `Umar arrived. He abandoned me and took `Umar to his left side. When he arrived at the site, he asked the people, ‘Do you know what this is?' They answered, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah. It is wine.' He said, ‘You spoke the truth.' Then he said, ‘Allah has cursed it, its drinker, supplier, seller, buyer, squeezer, the one who it is squeezed for, the carrier, the one who it is carried to, and making use of its earnings.' Then he asked for a knife and ordered it sharpened. With that he began to make holes in the skins. The people protested, ‘These leather bags are useful to us.' He replied, ‘I know. I am doing it for Allah's sake who is angry with it.' `Umar asked, ‘Shall I help you, O Messenger of Allah?' He said, ‘No.'"

Shabbir points out that the reason why the prohibition was so easily accepted is that the Companions, after the refinement of their tastes and spiritual sensibilities, with the effects of the Prophet's companionship added to it, were sure that wine drinking simply did not fit into the scheme of life as projected by Islam, and that the announcement of its prohibition was simply a matter of time. Hence, when a single man brought in the news of its prohibition to their wine assemblies, they did not think it necessary to go to the Prophet and check up the authenticity of the news, (although, one or two wished to do that but the rest did not think it necessary: Au.) rather, simply emptied their cups, jars, and containers. The situation was analogous to that of the change in qiblah. When a crier cried out that the qiblah had been changed to Makkah, the while a group of them were in Prayers, with an Imam leading them, they immediately turned around by 180 deg., rather than complete the Prayers and make enquiries about it, although, the importance of the matter demanded enquiry and clarification. That is because of the fact that they were anticipating a change in qiblah, which injunction, although paraphrased by the Qur'anic revelation, was attributed to the Prophet alone when it said (2: 144): "We have seen your face (O Prophet) turning (oft) towards the heavens. We will surely turn you toward the qiblah dear to you."

Consequences of Wine drinking

Ibn Kathir quotes the following ahadith: Bayhaqi and Ahmad have a report which says that:

مَنْ تَرَكَ الصَّلاَةَ سُكْرًا أَرْبَعَ مَرَّاتٍ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يَسْقِيَهُ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ. قِيلَ وَمَا طِينَةُ الْخَبَالِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ : « عُصَارَةُ أَهْلِ جَهَنَّمَ

“Allah will have the right to offer in drink the blood and puss of the people of the Fire, to someone who missed four of his prayers because he was drunk.” (Tr. abridged).

A hadith in Bukhari says:

من شرب الخمر في الدنيا، ثم لم يتب منها حُرمها في الآخرة

“Whoever drank wine in this world and did not repent, will miss it in the Hereafter.”

Bayhaqi has recorded the Prophet as having said,

ثلاثة لا ينظر الله إليهم يوم القيامة العاق لوالديه، والمُدْمِن الخمر، والمنَّان بما أعطى

"Allah will not look at three people in the Hereafter: one who disobeyed his parents, a habitual drinker and one who reminded after expending (in charity)."

Bayhaqi has also reported through a trustworthy chain `Uthman as saying, "Do not drink wine. It is the mother of all evils. There was a man before you given to much devotion. A prostitute was enchanted by him. She got him into her house on the pretext of a testimony. She locked up every entry door that he left behind. In the inner chambers, there was a young man and some wine. She told him that she would not let him go until he would either kill the man, drink wine or have sex with her. The pious man thought wine would be the lightest of the three. So he drank. Then he asked for more. And more. When drunk, he killed the man and had sex with her."

Rashid adds: Tabarani has recorded the words of the Prophet:

فَإِنَّهَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

"Wine is the source of all evils." Another hadith says:

الخمر أم الفواحش وأكبر الكبائر من شربها وقع على أمه وخالته وعمته

"Wine is the head of all evils and the greatest of the Great sins. Whoever drank gives up his Prayers and leaps on his mother or aunt." In another report, narrated by Ibn `Abbas, he said: "Whoever drank rapes his mother." Suyuti has classified these reports as sahih.

Rashid Rida also writes that wine drinking can lead the Muslims to those moral and spiritual consequences that the non Muslims escape. This can be commonly noticed. This is because non Muslims have not received a revelation warning them of the ill consequences. In contrast, the Muslim is fully conscious of the ill effects of not acting according to the commands and, consequently, suffers heavy effects upon his mind and soul. (This can be demonstrated as true from psychological point of view: Au.).

Building upon some of the points stated by Razi, Rashid Rida also points out to a total of fourteen ways by which Allah emphasized the prohibition of intoxicants: (1) He started the sentence with "innama" (verily) which is for emphasis. (2) He equated it with idol worship. (3) He called it an abomination. (4) He called it a handiwork of Shaytan. (5) He ordered the prohibition not through a direct decree, rather through exortation, which, according to the rules of rhetoric, is a more emphatic way of doing it. (6) He declared abstinence from it a way to success. (7) He declared that it leads to enmity. (8) He declared that it leads to rancor. (9) He declared that it prevents from His remembrance. (10) He declared that it prevents from Praying. (11) He brought a causative "fa" before ending with a question, indicating that the "cause" and "effect" are inseparable: they will appear together. (12) In the next sentence He exhorted the believers to obey Allah and His Messenger: the Messenger saying, "Every intoxicant is forbidden." (13) Allah saying, "Beware." And, (14) the threat hidden in words, "If you turn away..."

For a further discussion of the subject of intoxicants refer to notes 455 of Surah al Baqarah and 149 of Surah al Nisa' of this work (Au.).

In the contemporary world, Islam seems to be the only religion on earth that scorns intoxicants. Majid writes: "Wine is considered a sacred drink among the Jews. Far from being forbidden, it is an integral part of their religious festivities. ‘As wine gladdens the heart of men and forms an important element in a festive meal, it has been ordered that our meal on the evening of Sabbath and Festival should begin with a cup of wine in the honour of the day, and that mention should be made of the holiness of the day before partaking of the wine. The Kidduah consists of two blessings: one over the wine, and one that refers to the holiness of the day' (Friedlander, The Jewish Religion, p. 341)."

The Scriptures on Wine

Nevertheless, the Bible is not entirely without a few lines of disfavor. Rashid Rida quotes the following:

"Woe to those who rise early in the morning,

that they may run after strong drink,

who tarry late into the evening

till wine inflames them!

They have lyre and harp,

timbrel and flute and wine at their feasts;

but they do not regard the deeds of their Lord,

or see the work of his hand.

Therefore my people go into exile

for want of knowledge;

their men are dying of hunger,

and their multitude is parched with thirst."

(Isaiah, 5: 11 13)

And,

"Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,

and to the fading flower of its glorious beauty,"

(Isaiah 28: 1)

And,

"The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim

will be trodden under foot."

(Isaiah 28: 3)

As for the New Testament, it has also one or two unkind sentences:

"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery;" (Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, 5: 18).

And,

"Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, .... drunkenness."

(Paul's Letter to the Galatians 5: 20).

Rashid's quote ends here.

It appears that it is only the concept of Divinity of Jesus Christ, which he himself never claimed, that is taken from Paul’s teachings by the Christians, but not the Law. A kind of vague prohibition is to be found in the Torah also:

"And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, ‘Drink no wine nor strong drink, you nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations'"

(Leviticus, 10: 8,9) Au.

On the special need for the Muslims to be true to the prohibition, we have a good point from Sayyid. He writes: "Suspension of sensibilities however caused goes against the awareness that Islam instills into the hearts of its adherents. A believer is required to be in constant spiritual contact with his Lord and turn to Him in every situation of peril (major or minor). Moreover, the awareness on his part is required to be a positive, constructive one, leading to a growth and renewal of life and in its defense against any weakness or corruption attacking it from any direction. He is also required to be in a state of readiness for the protection of his self, property and honor and the protection of the peace of the Muslim society and its safety against any efforts toward a destabilization. A Muslim personality is not given to his own self or to his pleasures. There is on him, in every moment of life, demands that require a constant vigilance: demands of his Lord, demands of his self, demands of his dependents, demands of the Muslim society in which he lives and the demands of the humanity at large which he has to guide and invite to the path of salvation. These demands require a constant vigilance. In fact, even when he indulges in pleasures, Islam demands that he, during those very moments of pleasure and indulgence, remain mindful of his pleasures, enjoying them conscientiously and not given away totally to them to be a slave of those indulgences. He is the master of the situations of pleasure welcoming them in the manner of someone in control of the situation. The state of intoxication works against all these.

Sayyid's quote ends here.

Finally, the following are extracts from a book, Contemporary Topics In Islamic Medicine, (Saudi Publishing & Dist. House, Riyadh), by Dr. Muhammad Ali Albar, an FRCP medical practitioner.

Production, Consumption and Problems

“Today, millions of gallons of wine is consumed throughout the world every year. In West Germany alone, wine consumption was worth $30 billion in 1982. In Scotland, 92 percent of boys and 85 percent of girls experience alcohol by the age of 14. In France and Germany, 2.5 million of each country are incurable alcoholics. In the former USSR, it was 25 million. As a result hundreds of billions of production loss are recorded annually. In USA alone the loss was estimated at $120 billion in 1984. Almost 90 percent of murders and 50 percent of rapes are committed by alcoholics. It is estimated that in Britain an estimated 40,000 deaths occur annually due to alcohol consumption. Despite these consequences, the production of wine is on the rise world wide. In 1982 alone the rise noted by WHO in certain Asian countries, was a staggering 500 percent over the previous years.”

Physical Effects

There is a general misconception, especially among the youth, that alcohol beverages enhance libido. Dr. Albar writes: "Alcoholic beverages are still used by layman because they are believed to have an aphrodisiac effect, a claim that was refuted by the renowned English poet, Shakespeare, who said, ‘It provokes the desire, but takes away the performance.' Nevertheless, this misconception continues because of the many sexual crimes which are committed under the influence of alcohol. Fifty percent of all rapes are committed under its influence. Crimes of incest are reported to occur mainly under the effects of intoxicating liquor. The force of advertising, which connects liquor with manliness and sexual prowess, is so strong that it promotes the mistaken concept, especially among teenagers, that alcohol enhances libido and sexuality. But the reality is quite the opposite the cumulative effect of alcohol on sex is deleterious.

"Alcohol acts as a direct toxin to the testicles where the male sex hormones and semen are produced. The autonomic nervous system, which controls erection and ejaculation, is also affected by chronic consumption of alcohol. In addition, the affected liver of the alcoholic is incapable of destroying the oestrogenic hormones normally produced by the male suprarenal gland. This results in decreased libido, impotence and gynecomastia. (Ref. Gordon, D. Olivo, Jr., Rafir, R., et al., Conversion of androgens to estrogens in cirrhosis of the liver. J. Clin. Endocranial, Metabl. 1982; 55:583 6 and Van Thiel, D., Evidence of adrenal origin of plasma estrogens in subjects with liver disease, Gastroenterology, 1975, 69:819)."

Alcohol and Cold Climates

Dr. Albar also writes: "Alcohol dilates the cutaneous blood vessels, which provides a sense of warmth. It also abolishes the shivering reflex, which is a protective mechanism of the body against cold. Therefore, if a person drinks alcohol and is exposed to cold weather, as often occurs at Christmas and New Year festivals, such a person will be greatly endangering his health being liable to lose body heat and suffer hypothermia. The level of consciousness declines progressively with decreasing body temperature; pupils contract and tendon reflexes are lost. (Ref. Weyman, A., Greenhouse, D., Grace, W., Accidental hypothermia in an alcoholic population, A. J., Med. 1974; 56:13 21, and others)."

220. Apart from the game of chance involving money or property, also prohibited are those games that might lead to gambling, such as, for instance, backgammon and chess. In a hadith of Muslim the Prophet said:

مَنْ لَعِبَ بِالنَّرْدَشِيرِ فَكَأَنَّمَا صَبَغَ يَدَهُ فِى لَحْمِ خِنْزِيرٍ وَدَمِهِ

"Whoever played backgammon colored his hand with the flesh and blood of swine." Imam Malik, Abu Hanifah and Ahmad have declared playing of chess unlawful with Imam Shafe`i considering it merely undesirable (Ibn Kathir).

221. The word in the original, nusub, is for those stone altars at which the pre Islamic Arabs slaughtered their offerings (Ibn Kathir). The difference between asnam and ansab is that the former enjoyed some kind of form and shape, while the latter was simply a stone altar erected, worshipped and slaughtered at (Alusi).

To declare the prohibition of wine and idols in one sentence is as if to say that the two are equal in sin and abomination (Zamakhshari). Accordingly, we find that the Prophet said:

مُدْمِنُ الْخَمْرِ إِنْ مَاتَ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ كَعَابِدِ وَثَنٍ

"A wine-drinker is akin to an idol worshipper."

The last quoted hadith is in Ibn Majah. Suyuti said in his Jami` al Saghir that it is hasan (Au.).

222. (Apart from using the divining arrows for "do" or "don't do" purposes, see note 19 of this surah: au.) the pre Islamic Arabs also used them for drawing lots. For example, ten of them would put in their money and slaughter a camel. But, instead of dividing the meat equally between themselves, they would take ten arrows with figures one, two or three inscribed on them along with a few blank ones. Then, after a mix up in the quiver, every participant would draw. Some would get maybe two or three shares of the meat, but others might draw a blank arrow and get nothing. This kind of gambling has been banned in Islam. However, when the shares are equal, but the sharers are unable to decide as to which part should go to whom, then resorting to drawing lots is admissible (Shafi`).

223. Rashid Rida writes: A good case in point is that of Hamza. He was once drinking wine with some Ansar. They also had a singer among them. She sang out some poetical pieces extolling the virtue of those who slaughtered beautiful and expensive camels for their friends. In his drunkenness Hamza got up and slaughtered two camels belonging to ‘Ali. Now, `Ali was not in an envious financial situation. The loss of camels was quite depressing. He complained to the Prophet. He came with `Ali and Zayd b. Haritha and reproached Hamza. Hamza was drunk with his eyes red. He said, addressing him and those who were with him, "Are you not but my father's slaves?" The Prophet turned back and left the place (without a word). And, obviously, if it was not Hamza, the valiant defendant of Islam, an uncle of the Prophet, and, were he not to be drunk, matters would not have ended as quietly as they did.

224. (That a drunken man loses his head, uttering nonsense, leading to fights, hatred and enmity is well known. But such are the consequences of gambling too. The loser hates the winner: Au.). Qatadah has said that the pre Islamic Arabs lost even their wives, children, wealth, and property in gambling (Ibn Jarir).

(And so did the ancient Hindus). Majid writes: "And who has not heard of the ancient king Yuddisthira playing away all his wealth and kingdom; and finally, his brothers, himself and his wife Draupadi in a game of dice?"

Shabbir writes: It is common observation that not only Prayers, the chess players forget even their food and drink.

225. Most of the commentators have found the verse difficult to understand. The "ittaqaw" could also be understood as "they refrained from indulging in what was prohibited in their time," and the whole verse could be paraphrased as, ‘There is no sin upon the men of the past who believed and worked righteousness in what they ate or drank, so long as they refrained from what was prohibited at that time, and then refrained from what (ever else that) was subsequently prohibited, provided they were of faith and worked righteousness, and then, remained for the rest of their lives, refraining from all unlawful things: generally doing things well. And Allah loves those who do things well.' This rendering would cover both those believers who died before some of the lawful of their time was later declared unlawful, as well as those who lived through both the eras. It also stipulates the rule that sin does not consist in eating this or not eating that, rather in total submission and zealous application. Hence we find, as Alusi has pointed out, that when this verse (‘There is no sin upon those who believed and worked righteousness ...’) was revealed, the Prophet said to Ibn Mas`ud, in a hadith preserved by Muslim, Nasa'i and others, "I was told, ‘you (i.e., Ibn Mas`ud) are one of them.'" That is, you are one of those upon whom there is no sin (Au.).

226. (Looked at from a different angle: Au.) the thumma of the original, translated as "then" indicates "a sequence expressing growth and intensification" (Razi and Asad).

227. Ibn `Abbas, Bara', Mujahid and Dahhak have said that when the verse declaring wine unlawful was revealed, some people asked the Prophet about the fate of those who had died before the prohibition came into force. Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir).

Rashid Rida adds the following. Ibn al Mundhir has recorded Sa`id ibn Jubayr as saying that when Allah revealed the verse 219 of al Baqarah, "They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Tell them: ‘There are grave sins in both, although there are (some) benefits (also) for mankind,'" some of the people continued to drink following Allah's words: "there are some benefits also," while others gave up following His words: "there are grave sins in it." `Uthman b. Maz`un was one of those who had given up. Then verse 34 of al Nisa' came down which said, "Believers! Draw not near to Prayers while you are in a state of drunkenness." Thereupon, some more people gave up, while some others continued to drink in the evenings, until this present verse was revealed. Then everyone gave up. But it was hard upon them. So that, when one of them came across another he would say, in effect, "I have an empty feeling inside me." The other man would ask, "Perhaps you have been thinking of wine." When the first admitted, the second would say, "Me too." Finally, as if to seek a concession, they went to the Prophet and asked: "Aren't Hamza b. `Abdul Muttalib, Mus`ab b. `Umayr and `Abdullah b. Jahsh in Paradise?!" When the Prophet said yes, they reminded him that they used to drink wine. So Allah revealed this verse.

Someone understood the verse wrong during the time of `Umar ibn al Khattab. When brought to him for drinking wine, the man, Qudamah, argued that since he had believed, performed righteous deeds, and was godfearing, his drinking was forgivable. `Umar told him, (according to some reports it was Ibn `Abbas) that if he had believed, acted righteously and been God fearing, he would not have drunk in the first place. He ordered the man whipped (Qurtubi).

228. Shabbir writes: The verse tells us by implication that of taqwa and iman there are many grades and levels and that their every subsequent mention is alluding to a new and higher level, ending with the highest level in Islam known as ihsan.

229. Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid have said that the allusion by the easy reach of your "hands" is to small game, such as wild chicken, birds’ eggs etc., and with "spear" to big game (Ibn Jarir).

Others have suggested that the allusion by "hands" could be to the nests, snares etc. that are set up for small game and by "spear" to those that are hunted with the help of weapons (Alusi).

However, Muqatil ibn Hayyan has said that these verses were revealed during the `Umrah of Hudaybiyyah, when, it so happened that the Muslims encountered so much game that they could have caught some of them with their bare hands. By "the easy reach of your hands" the allusion is to that (Ibn Kathir).

Keeping in mind the precarious economic conditions which the Muslims were facing those days and years, and, considering the fondness of the Arabs for game, surely, appearance of the game, within easy reach, in large numbers, to the hungry travelers must have been quite a test. If the boycott of all transaction with them by the Makkans is added, then, surely, the prohibition must have been as difficult and trying to them, as the stream water for the followers of Talut, to which incident some commentators have rightly compared this one (Au.).

230. People are normally afraid of the Unseen. Behind all superstitious practices is the effort to please those evil forces that the people imagine are hidden in the Unseen. Allah tells us that there is nothing in the world that has any power besides Him. Therefore, if people have to fear anything of the unseen, let them fear Him who is in the Unseen (Au.).

231. Excluded from the general prohibition are harmful animals such as wolves, snakes, a rabid dog, eagles etc., as clarified by a ahadith (Au.).

232. Mujahid, Ibn Jurayj and Hasan have said that the verse is speaking of someone who has forgotten that he is in a state of ihram or, has forgotten that it is forbidden to hunt while he is in ihram, or, alternatively, throws his weapon at something, but it hits a game animal. He has to expiate it. In contrast, if he is well aware that he is in a state of ihram and is also aware that hunting is prohibited in that state, but still hunts a game animal, then, his Hajj or `Umrah is null and void. Never the less, Ibn `Abbas and Sa`id b. Jubayr made no such distinction, declaring all situations as requiring expiation, and that seems to be the correct position (Ibn Jarir).

233. Ibn `Abbas, Suddi and others have explained that if a man kills, for instance, a wild cow, he should expiate with a domestic cow, if he kills a deer, he should offer a goat in expiation, etc. Accordingly, when Qubaysah ibn Jabir and another person killed a deer together and consulted `Umar ibn al-Khattab, he consulted a man sitting next to him and then ordered them to sacrifice a sheep (Ibn Jarir).

Obviously, `Umar did not need to consult another person to arrive at the conclusion that a sheep was equivalent of a deer; he did that following the Qur'anic dictum: "to be determined by two of your just persons" (Au.).

Asad writes: "The ‘two persons of probity' are supposed to determine the approximate flesh-value of the wild animal which has been killed, and to decide on this basis as to what domestic animal should be offered in compensation." He writes further: "... two alternatives are open to a pilgrim who is too poor to provide a head or heads of cattle corresponding in value to the game which he has killed, or - in the last-named alternative - too poor even to feed other poor people."

234. That is, the slaughtering has to be done within the Haram area and the meat to be distributed among the poor of Makkah (Ibn Kathir).

235. Neither the Qur’an nor the Hadith have any direction about how the number of fasts may be computed. The Fuqaha’ have, therefore, as in Qurtubi, filled in the gap. Abu Haneefah’s opinion is that he who kills an animal in the state of consecration may assess the quantity of the flesh the animal yields. Convert it into handfuls. Then for every two handfuls (where each handful involves both the hands cupped together), fast a day as expiation. Imam Shafe`i and Malik have suggested other methods of computation, leading perhaps to more or less the same results. However, all agree that if a big animal is involved, then, there is no need to fast for more than two months in expiation.

This is a good instance of how the claim of the rejecters of Hadith, (believers in the Qur’an alone), stands refuted. To act by Qur’anic directions, not only the Hadith is indispensible, even the rulings of the Fuqaha’ cannot be denied their role (Au.).

Ka`bah has been named instead of the Haram (the Sacred precincts) because of its honor (Alusi).

236. Abu Bakr, `Umar and many others have interpreted the original ta`amuhu as that which the seas throw out: dead or alive, although some have interpreted ta`amuhu as the dead of it (Ibn Jarir).

Asad adds: "Zamakhshari, however, regards the pronoun (of ta`amuhu) as relating to the object of the game (sayd) as such, and, consequently, understands the phrase as meaning ‘eating thereof'."

Ibn Kathir writes: The Sahihayn have a report of Abu `Ubaydah leading a campaign. They came across a whale that had anchored itself ashore and died. Abu `Ubaydah said, ‘We are messengers of the Messenger, and in dire need, therefore, eat of it.' They ate of it for a whole month. It was a huge thing and Abu `Ubaydah ordered one of its bow-like bone to be erected. Ten men in a row passed through it. They carried some of its meat to Madinah and enquired the Prophet whether what they had done was right. He said yes and asked for some and ate of it.

As for sea animals, there are differences in opinion over which of them is lawful and which is not. At least frogs are not lawful according to Imam Shafe`i in view of a hadith in Nasa'i which prohibits their killing.

237. In the words, "Game of the water and its food has been made lawful unto you," (coming as they do, after prohibition of the game of land: Au.) is the hint that exaggerations in asceticism is disapproved (Thanwi).

238. The allusion is to the salted sea-food that travelers in those days carried as provision, or the sedentary preserved for future use (Ibn Jarir).

239. With regard to what a muhrim kills, the question is, is it lawful for an unconnected muhrim to eat of it or not? There are two opinions: some declaring it unlawful and others lawful (Ibn Jarir). Imam Malik, Shafe`i and Ibn Hanbal are of the opinion that if the hunter (a non-muhrim) had intended to offer it to a muhrim, he might not eat of it. But, if he did not intend that then the muhrim is free to eat of it, as did the Prophet. He was offered the meat of a wild ass, hunted down by Abu Qatadah. But, before eating he enquired any of the muhrim had expressed the desire that it be hunted for him. When they said no, he allowed them to eat of it. The report is in the Sahihayn (Ibn Kathir).

240. "The noun Ka`bah, by which, owing to its shape, the sanctuary has always been known, denoting any ‘cubical building'. It would seem that he who first built the Ka`bah consciously chose the simplest three-dimensional form imaginable - a cube - as a parable of man's humility and awe before the idea of God, whose glory is beyond anything that man could conceive by way of architectural beauty. This symbolism is clearly expressed in the term qiyam (lit. ‘support' or ‘mainstay') which - in the abstract sense - signifies ‘a standard by which [men's] affairs are made sound or improved' (Razi)" - Asad

241. The Ka`bah is the focal point and the axis around which the wheel of human activities turn. When this focal point is destroyed, life on earth would be destroyed. This is how Imam Bukhari seems to have understood the verse. He has recorded the hadith of the Abyssinian slave demolishing the Ka`bah, stone by stone, a little before the Hour of Doom, as explanation of this verse. The consecration of the other three: the Sacred Month, the offering, and the collared ones, are extensions of the sacredness of the Holy House (based on Shabbir).

Since Allah has made Ka`bah a means of establishment, or support, Sa`id ibn Jubayr has said that whoever travelled to Makkah seeking either this world or the other, will be rewarded (Alusi).

242. See note 6 above.