I see some people entering the mosque to pray while carrying cigarettes in their pockets. Is there a sin on them for this, and what is your advice, O honorable Shaykh?
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The questioner : I see some people entering the mosque to pray while carrying cigarettes in their pockets. Is there a sin on them for this? And what is your advice, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : There is no sin on them for carrying these cigarettes with regard to the prayer, because carrying them does not affect the prayer, as cigarettes are pure and not ritually impure in a tangible sense. However, they are sinful in smoking these cigarettes. It has been established in our current time that smoking is forbidden, even though scholars differed in the past: some permitted it, some disliked it, and some forbade it. But after it was medically established that it is harmful and a cause of incurable diseases that may lead to death, it became clear that it is forbidden. This is based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:29] and His saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:195] Also, Allah the Exalted ordered the sick person who is harmed by using water to perform dry ablution with clean earth, fearing that the illness would continue and harm him. It is also narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 2340Da'if (Darussalam) It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2413Sahih (Darussalam) It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he forbade the waste of wealth. It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he forbade eating garlic and onions near the mosques, saying that it causes annoyance, and that the angels are annoyed by what annoys the children of Adam.
When we look at smoking, we find that smoke is harmful to the body, it is a waste of money, and it is an annoyance to people in their communities. All of these are reasons that necessitate or require the ruling that it is forbidden. What I direct to my Muslim brothers from this pulpit is that they should fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in themselves, in their wealth, and in their Muslim brothers, and that they should quit this habit, which the texts of the Book and the Sunnah require to be forbidden. Let it be known that our saying "this is forbidden" is not a passing word, but a word with its value. For the forbidden must be protected against by every Muslim, and he must stay away from it, because the forbidden things are disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, and disobedience creates diseases in the heart that may lead to the death of the heart. Listen to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Mutaffifin 83:13-14] So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) clarified that what a person acquires from sins may cover the heart of the sinner until he does not know the truth, and the truth becomes confused for him. So he does not benefit from the Qur'an, but sees it as the myths of the ancients, having no value, and that it is only recited to waste time and kill time.
So sins are dangerous for the heart. How excellent is what many of the scholars said: "Persisting in minor sins is a major sin" So my advice to my brothers in general from this pulpit is that they should fear Allah and try, as much as they can, to get rid of this harmful drink that destroys wealth. Someone might say: getting rid of it is difficult. But I say that if a person resolves to do the matter sincerely for Allah, seeks help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and is strong in spirit and sincere in resolve, then he can get rid of it. We have seen some people get rid of it through their sincere resolve and seeking help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And if he cannot get rid of it immediately, he can get rid of it gradually. Instead of taking twenty cigarettes a day and night, he reduces it little by little until he is able to be free from it. We ask Allah for guidance, success, and good for us and our Muslim brothers.
The questioner : O Allah, accept. A final question in a listener's message says:
The Shaykh : There is no sin on them for carrying these cigarettes with regard to the prayer, because carrying them does not affect the prayer, as cigarettes are pure and not ritually impure in a tangible sense. However, they are sinful in smoking these cigarettes. It has been established in our current time that smoking is forbidden, even though scholars differed in the past: some permitted it, some disliked it, and some forbade it. But after it was medically established that it is harmful and a cause of incurable diseases that may lead to death, it became clear that it is forbidden. This is based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.
وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًاand do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]
وَلا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِIt was narrated from 'Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ruled: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
لا ضرر ولا ضرارIndeed your self has a right upon you
إن لنفسك عليك حقاًWhen we look at smoking, we find that smoke is harmful to the body, it is a waste of money, and it is an annoyance to people in their communities. All of these are reasons that necessitate or require the ruling that it is forbidden. What I direct to my Muslim brothers from this pulpit is that they should fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in themselves, in their wealth, and in their Muslim brothers, and that they should quit this habit, which the texts of the Book and the Sunnah require to be forbidden. Let it be known that our saying "this is forbidden" is not a passing word, but a word with its value. For the forbidden must be protected against by every Muslim, and he must stay away from it, because the forbidden things are disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, and disobedience creates diseases in the heart that may lead to the death of the heart. Listen to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(13) When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples." (14) No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.
إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ءايَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الأَوَّلِينَ * كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَSo sins are dangerous for the heart. How excellent is what many of the scholars said: "Persisting in minor sins is a major sin" So my advice to my brothers in general from this pulpit is that they should fear Allah and try, as much as they can, to get rid of this harmful drink that destroys wealth. Someone might say: getting rid of it is difficult. But I say that if a person resolves to do the matter sincerely for Allah, seeks help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and is strong in spirit and sincere in resolve, then he can get rid of it. We have seen some people get rid of it through their sincere resolve and seeking help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And if he cannot get rid of it immediately, he can get rid of it gradually. Instead of taking twenty cigarettes a day and night, he reduces it little by little until he is able to be free from it. We ask Allah for guidance, success, and good for us and our Muslim brothers.
The questioner : O Allah, accept. A final question in a listener's message says: