by: Muhammad Al-'Uthaymeen


O people! Fear Allaah and make use of what He has made lawful for
you and beware of what He has prohibited. He left nothing which is
good without making it lawful out of His grace, and nothing which is
evil except that he prohibited it out of His mercy. So, just as He
conferred upon you the bounty of making the good lawful, He also
conferred upon you the bounty of making the evil prohibited. People
should therefore offer praise to Him for both cases by willingly
taking the lawful things and shunning the prohibited saying: 'we
hear and obey.'



O people! Nowadays smoking has spread to every section of our
society, even to young boys in the markets and in their homes. No
one can deny the harmful effects that it has on one's body,
financial condition, society and religion. As to its effects on the
body, it weakens the body and heart and leads to diseases that might
even lead to death such as cancer, cough and tuberculosis. This fact
is confirmed by specialised scientists and reports issued by the
World Health Organisation and also by the status quo. How many are
the people who have weakened their bodies and health, and may kill
themselves due to this habit of smoking? Do not be deceived by
smokers who might appear to be of strong stature; unlike their
outward appearance, they are not healthy in light of their lack
appetite, the condition of their lungs, coughs, tuberculosis and
feebleness which might be felt upon very little exertion. If they
give up smoking then they will regain some of their health which
they have lost as a result of smoking.



As for the effect on their financial condition, just ask any of them
about the money that they expend daily on smoking, which, if spent
on what is beneficial for a person and his family such as good food,
drink, clothes, etc., would be of much benefit for ones religion and
worldly life. Rather, a smoker uses up most of his money on this
vain pursuit which only adds to his immediate and deferred injuries.
We seek Allaah's guidance for us and for them.



As for the traders who earn money from buying and selling such items
and become wealthy after being poor and rich after being needy, then
these are all ill-gotten gains and sinfulness. Such people are rich
financial terms but very poor in their hearts; wealthy in this world
but have nothing in the Hereafter, due to these ill-gotten gains
which they made in this worldly life. They do not know when death
will come to them forcing them to leave their wealth to their heirs
while their hearts still long for it. Indeed poverty is better than
wealth gained by disobeying Allaah.



As to the effects of smoking on the community, it diffuses social
diseases that spread corruption amongst society, but most smokers do
not care about the spread of this phenomenon among people; in fact
they may actually enjoy seeing it spread among people to entertain
and ease their own disastrous lifestyle. Therefore, they
intentionally smoke in public before the youth, who become
accustomed to this bad habit and regard it as a normal practice of
the community. This leads to the inevitable outcome of the youth
indulging in this fad to the extent that they rapidly become
addicted to it. How many are the diseases that afflict those who use
the remnants of cigarettes which are thrown in streets and public
places!



As for its consequences on one's religion, most scholars, who are
pure of all maladies and are well versed in the rulings of Islaamic
Law, know for certain it's prohibition from the Islaamic texts and
principles of Islaamic jurisprudence. Smoking is disobedience of
Allaah and His Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and
disobedience opposes faith, which decreases by committing sins just
as it increases by doing good.



O Muslims! Those upon whom Allaah has conferred His bounty of being
protected against this habit should praise Him for this bounty and
ask Him for steadfastness and to protect his brothers who are
plagued with this addiction so that they may give it up. They should
also ask Allaah repeatedly to guard them and approach all possible
means that might help others to shun it such as having a strong
will, avoiding the places where this vice is practiced and replacing
it with that which Allaah has made lawful of food and drink, for
Allaah has made lawful any gate that might lead to good. They should
also think of the affairs of those whom Allaah has released from the
fetters of this habit and to what extent they regained their health
and recovered from the diseases that afflicted them because of this
addiction - surely all praise is due to Allaah.



Allaah says that which means: "O you who have believed! Eat from the
good [i.e., lawful] things which We have provided for you and be
grateful to Allaah, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship." (Al-
Baqarah: 172).