Reports of hadiths have been transmitted regarding the prohibition of approaching the mosque for one who has eaten garlic, onions, or leeks. Does this extend to one who has an unpleasant odor, such as smoke?
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The questioner : The questioner is Egyptian and resides in Riyadh. He says: Reports of hadiths have been transmitted regarding the prohibition of approaching the mosque for one who has eaten onions, garlic, or leeks. Does this extend to something with an unpleasant odor, such as smoke?
The Shaykh : Yes. The prohibition is established for one who eats onions, garlic, leeks, or anything unpleasant, that he should not approach the mosque. They used to take a man out of the mosque if he entered having eaten such things, and they would expel him from it, because this harms the angels and harms the children of Adam. Therefore, a person is prohibited from entering the mosque if he has eaten such things, even if it is not a time for prayer.
And the same applies to anything similar in odor or worse, such as smoke from which people are harmed. This is what encourages the Muslim to abandon smoking, if he knows that its odor will remain until the time of prayer and that he will be deprived of the reward of prayer. This is what increases the Muslim’s aversion to this smoke.
As for smoke, people used to doubt its ruling when it first appeared. But after its physical, moral, and financial harm became clear, the fair and knowledgeable people no longer doubt its prohibition. It is a waste of money, because the smoker spends large amounts of money on it. Although its effect may not appear because it is small relative to daily expenses, when accumulated, it becomes very large.
Second, it harms the body. It has been established that it is one of the causes of lung and gum cancer. It also harms one’s character, for if the user delays smoking, he becomes irritable and his character worsens, and he no longer speaks good words, neither with his family nor with his companions.
Fourth, it leads to abandoning the congregation if one has an unpleasant odor. My advice to my brothers whom Allah has tested with this is to repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, from smoking, and to strengthen themselves to abandon it, and to treat themselves to quit it, even gradually. Because it may be difficult for a person who does not have strong determination to quit it all at once. But it is possible to train oneself to quit it gradually until it becomes easy for him to abandon it.
One of the reasons for quitting it is not to sit with those who smoke it. Because if he sits with those who smoke it and smells its odor and sees them smoking, he may be unable to restrain himself and will smoke with them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Yes. The prohibition is established for one who eats onions, garlic, leeks, or anything unpleasant, that he should not approach the mosque. They used to take a man out of the mosque if he entered having eaten such things, and they would expel him from it, because this harms the angels and harms the children of Adam. Therefore, a person is prohibited from entering the mosque if he has eaten such things, even if it is not a time for prayer.
And the same applies to anything similar in odor or worse, such as smoke from which people are harmed. This is what encourages the Muslim to abandon smoking, if he knows that its odor will remain until the time of prayer and that he will be deprived of the reward of prayer. This is what increases the Muslim’s aversion to this smoke.
As for smoke, people used to doubt its ruling when it first appeared. But after its physical, moral, and financial harm became clear, the fair and knowledgeable people no longer doubt its prohibition. It is a waste of money, because the smoker spends large amounts of money on it. Although its effect may not appear because it is small relative to daily expenses, when accumulated, it becomes very large.
Second, it harms the body. It has been established that it is one of the causes of lung and gum cancer. It also harms one’s character, for if the user delays smoking, he becomes irritable and his character worsens, and he no longer speaks good words, neither with his family nor with his companions.
Fourth, it leads to abandoning the congregation if one has an unpleasant odor. My advice to my brothers whom Allah has tested with this is to repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, from smoking, and to strengthen themselves to abandon it, and to treat themselves to quit it, even gradually. Because it may be difficult for a person who does not have strong determination to quit it all at once. But it is possible to train oneself to quit it gradually until it becomes easy for him to abandon it.
One of the reasons for quitting it is not to sit with those who smoke it. Because if he sits with those who smoke it and smells its odor and sees them smoking, he may be unable to restrain himself and will smoke with them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.