Is Smoking Haram?
Is smoking haram? Smoking is considered haram because it contains smoke and other harmful substances that harm the human body and it is Allah orders us to take care of our health.
Many Muslims wonder if smoking is haram in Islam, so I covered all the smoking-related information in this article and the ruling of Islam. In short, you can watch this video:
Is Smoking Haram In Islam?
There are many reasons why smoking is haram in Islam. Let’s discuss all:
Smoking Is Harmful
There have been a lot of talks among many Muslim scholars. Some believe that smoking cigarettes are halal while others disagree and claim that smoking is haram in Islam.
Science wasn’t as advanced before as it is now and so the latest research shows us that smoking is injurious to our health to an extent that it can lead us to death. Some people also think that smoking vape is allowed in Islam. If you want to know regarding vape and Islam click here.
With recent research, all the major scholars agree now that smoking cigarettes are haram and totally forbidden. Tobacco in any form is considered slow poison and Islam forbids us Muslims from harming our bodies.
Cigarette smoking is so harmful that even the government ordered cigarette companies to place a warning on the cigarette packets which says that smoking is injurious to health.
If you watch any advert in the papers or on the television which is of a cigarette company you will always see a warning placed there which says that smoking is injurious to health. Now this means that not only Muslims but all non-Muslims also believe that smoking is harmful.
Allah says:
“˹They are˺ the ones who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whose description they find in their Torah and the Gospel. He commands them to do good and forbids them from evil, permits for them what is lawful and forbids to them what is impure, and relieves them from their burdens and the shackles that bound them. ˹Only˺ those who believe in him, honour and support him, and follow the light sent down to him will be successful.”
[Quran 7:157]
There are foods and beverages that are healthy and good that Allah has allowed us to consume, as well as those that are dangerous and bad, and all these are forbidden.
It was narrated from ‘Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ruled:
“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
[Sunan Ibn Majah 2340]
Being harmful to the human body is only the first reason that smoking is considered haram in Islam. There are others and we will discuss all of those.
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Spending Money On Something Harmful Is Also Haram
Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah has forbidden for you, (1) to be undutiful to your mothers, (2) to bury your daughters alive, (3) to not to pay the rights of the others (e.g. charity, etc.) and (4) to beg of men (begging). And Allah has hated for you (1) vain, useless talk, or that you talk too much about others, (2) to ask too many questions, (in disputed religious matters) and (3) to waste the wealth (by extravagance).
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2408]
Allah dislikes wasting one’s money. According to scholars, wealth is spent in 3 steps.
First, there is the spending done in submission to Allah. This is recommended and is not regarded as squandering or wasting money.
Second, spend your wealth on what you require. There is also no blame because money was created to satisfy wants.
Lastly that it is wasted in disobedience to Allah. It is illegal and haram to squander and waste wealth in this manner.
Allah also said:
“˹They are˺ those who spend neither wastefully nor stingily, but moderately in between.”
[Quran 25:67]
The world now understands that money spent on smoking is a waste. The smoker is stupid since the foolishness of the person who burns a dollar bill only harms the currency, while the person who smokes destroys his money as well as harms his body.
READ NEXT: Is Dancing Haram?
People Don’t Like The Smell Of Smoking
Many individuals are bothered by the smell of smokers, especially if you are unlucky enough to be standing next to one in a mosque.
Jabir reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who eats garlic or onion should remain away from us or from our mosque and stay in his house. A kettle was brought to him which had (cooked) vegetables in it, He smelt (offensive) odour in it. On asking he was informed of the vegetables (cooked in it). He said: Take it to such and such Companion. When he saw it, he also disliked eating it. (Upon this). he (the Holy Prophet) said: You may eat it, for I converse wkh one with whom you do not converse.
[Sahih Muslim 564b]
The smell of onions and garlic is more tolerable than the smell of tobacco smoke.
Can Muslims Drink And Smoke?
Alcohol is mentioned by name and is forbidden for Muslims but cigarette smoking is not mentioned in Islam anywhere. Although scholars claim that it is haram as it harms our bodies and anything harmful is forbidden in Islam.
How To Stop Smoking In Islam?
First, you need to be sure that Allah dislikes anything that is harmful to our bodies. Next, you need to make your intentions to quit smoking. You must avoid scenarios in which you are used to smoking as well as those who do so around you. Lastly, you need to find other alternatives to smoking that are not harmful to the human body and are allowed in Islam.
Can You Smoke While Fasting?
Food, drink, and smoking are all forbidden during the fasting period (from sunrise to sundown). Other than the fast in Islam smoking is also considered haram and a grave sin so avoid smoking.
It is mandatory that nothing can enter your body in a fasting state. No water, food, or even smoke, or else the fast will be broken.
READ NEXT: Is Modelling Haram?
Final Thoughts
Smoking is considered to be haram in Islam as it is very dangerous to our health and modern research also found that smoking can cause cancer and even death in some cases. Anything harmful is haram and forbidden in Islam.
If anyone who is used to smoking should try to quit smoking immediately and have firm intentions against smoking as it is hated in Islam.
And Allah Knows Best.
