The ruling on praying behind a smoker of tobacco and qat
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Fatwa number ( 2111 )
Q: The prayer became obligatory, and I found a group of people praying. I went forward to pray with them, but when I reached them, I learned that the imam was one of the men who smoke tobacco or suwaykah, which is called in the southern region (al-sham) or (the qat tree), or uses all of them together. When I learned this, I separated and prayed alone, and some Muslims criticized me. Am I in the wrong, or is it permissible to pray with such people? Or
is my separation justified? I did not do this except through my own ijtihad regarding what is best, even though, praise be to Allah, I do not engage in such things, and that is by the guidance and grace of Allah? And is it permissible for one who uses such things to lead the people in prayer as an imam?
A: Smoking tobacco is forbidden, and persisting in it and becoming addicted to it is even more forbidden; because it is among the impure things. And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:157] And because of the harm in it. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 2340Da'if (Darussalam) , and it is not befitting for one who is afflicted with smoking to lead the prayer except with one who is afflicted with the same or something worse. But you were wrong in turning away from praying with him and praying alone; because performing the five daily prayers in congregation is an individual obligation, based on the evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah indicating this. What was obligatory for you, when you left praying behind him because you knew he smokes tobacco or the like, was to look for another group to pray with, or to pray with them. If you were in circumstances where you did not expect to find another group, then pray with such an imam; in order to preserve the performance of the obligation in congregation; because of what has come in the legal evidence indicating the validity of praying behind sinners.
Q: The prayer became obligatory, and I found a group of people praying. I went forward to pray with them, but when I reached them, I learned that the imam was one of the men who smoke tobacco or suwaykah, which is called in the southern region (al-sham) or (the qat tree), or uses all of them together. When I learned this, I separated and prayed alone, and some Muslims criticized me. Am I in the wrong, or is it permissible to pray with such people? Or
is my separation justified? I did not do this except through my own ijtihad regarding what is best, even though, praise be to Allah, I do not engage in such things, and that is by the guidance and grace of Allah? And is it permissible for one who uses such things to lead the people in prayer as an imam?
A: Smoking tobacco is forbidden, and persisting in it and becoming addicted to it is even more forbidden; because it is among the impure things. And Allah the Exalted said:
prohibits for them the evil
وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَIt was narrated from 'Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ruled: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
لا ضرر ولا ضرار
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.