Prohibition of Cigarettes in Islam that Muslims Should Consider

Smoking is one of the men’s habit, both they are Moslems or non-Moslems. Even, some of them become cigarettes as their daily staple foods because they have been addicted by cigarettes. As a Moslem, do you know about prohibition of cigarettes in Islam? Because of there was no cigarettes in the period of Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, so Ulama have a different opinion about cigarettes. Some of them said that cigarettes are haram and others said that it is makruh. Here are some explanations about that:

Are Cigarettes in Islam Prohibited?

Indeed, there is no a clear dalil or hadits that talk about the prohibition of cigarettes. But, as Moslems, we should obey with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. We must know and do every His commands and avoid His prohibitions in Al-Qur’an. Here are some dalil that can be used as the prohibition of cigarettes below :

1. Islam Forbids Muslims Doing the Harmful Things

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have to of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be the successful.” (Q.S. Al-A’raaf : 157)

That verse explains that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala has allowed good things and forbidden bad things for human. Based on knowledge (health), cigarettes is a thing that can degrade the body. So that, smoking is a bad habit and forbidden by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. See also Law of smoking in Ramadan.

2. Smoking can Ruin Human’s Health

The effects of smoking has also mentioned in the cigarette packs as a caution. But, the smokers do not heed that sentence. They continue smoking. Even, the prohibitions of cigarettes has been done in almost all public areas. So, the prohibition of cigarettes has been right and we must obey it.

In other verse, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala said,

وَأَنْفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ۛ وَأَحْسِنُوا ۛ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.” (Q.S. Al-Baqarah : 195)

That verse explains to us that we (as Moslems) do not use anything to destroy ourselves. Cigarettes can kill us slowly. That thing is very forbidden by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. Many death are caused by smoking. It has happened in virtually every part of the globe. As we know, cigarettes can cause many diseases such as heart disease, a lung disease, throat cancer and others. So, it is normal if cigarettes are regarded as the toxin that can kill someone slowly.

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3. Muslims are not Allowed to Do the Useless Things

 يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِمَا ۗ وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater that their benefit.” And they ask you what they should spend. Say, “The excess [beyond needs].” Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought.” (Q.S. Al-Baqarah : 219)

In that verse, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala forbids us to do something that there is no benefits in it. or something that has greater risks than wine and gambling. Wine and gambling are big sins that there are no benefits in them. This thing is the same as smoking that there is no benefits for its users. You may also read history of prohibition of alcohol in Islam.

3. Mudharat must be Avoided in Islam

The defense about smoking is done by them who have considered cigarettes as an addiction. This state is really contradictory because there is no aspects (health, economy, culture, etc) that justify the defense of cigarettes. As the hadith of Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam which reads,

“Do not endanger yourself and others.” (Narrated by Baihaqi and al-Hakim. It is validated by Syaikh Al-Albani)

The smoker is not only endangering himself, but also he will endanger people around him. Even, a research stated that the danger of passive smoking or people who near the smoker are easier to get cancer than the smoker. Imagine, what a loss to people who near the smoker when they take in a lot of smoke. It can kill them slowly. The word of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala in Surah Al-Ahzab reads,

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُبِينًا

“And those who harm believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned have certainly born upon themselves a slander and manifest sin.” (Q.S. Al-Ahzab : 58)

4. Cigaretess threaten many people

As Moslems, Islam teaches us to appreciate fellow humans. Of course, we do not want to see our family get a disaster. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala forbids His people to hurt their brother. It is the same with smoking. The smoker must endanger his brother in the matter of health. The passive smoking is more potential to get cancer than the smoker. Because of that, the habit of smoking is considered as an action that can hurt fellow humans.

إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًاوَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا

“And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.” (Q.S. Al-Isra : 26 – 27)

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Have you ever asked yourself that every your treasures are the result of hard working and sweat? We cannot get our treasures easily. Logically, if you spend your money to buy a cigarette, it is a futile act. You waste your rizq, your time and you do not appreciate you health that has been given to us. As you know, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala does not like these acts. Na’udzubillahi min dzalik.

Indeed, smoking or not is a choice. But, that choice is not a big choice because it has been clear that smoking is a futile act from many aspects. Because of that, how wise you would use the remainder of your time, your rizq and your body to do good acts that give many benefits for us in the future. You may also read how to give up smoking in Islam.