What is the ruling on obeying a father who asks one of his sons to bring him tobacco, knowing that he is incapacitated?
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The questioner : May the peace of Allah, His mercy, and His blessings be upon you, esteemed Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : My father smokes and orders me to bring him tobacco. Should I obey him or not, knowing that he is incapacitated and sick?
The Shaykh : Incapacitated?
The questioner : And sick. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Tobacco is forbidden. The general texts of the Book and the Sunnah indicate that it is forbidden. If it is forbidden and your father orders you to bring it to him, he has ordered you to commit a sin. Will you obey your father in sin? Answer?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Do not obey him in sin,Mishkat al-Masabih 3696, and say to your father, "I advise you against this." But if he promises that he will try to repent, though he cannot repent all at once, and says, "Bring me four cigarettes a day: one in the morning with breakfast, one with lunch, one with dinner, and one at bedtime. I promise you that I will try to reduce it by one each day until I quit," then there is nothing wrong with it, because he has promised you that he will repent. It is well known that a smoker afflicted with this, may Allah protect us from it, generally cannot quit all at once.
As for if he says, "No," and continues to smoke ten a day, for example, do not obey him, even if he becomes angry with you, speaks ill of you, or curses you; it will not harm you. Yes.
The questioner : I am afraid that if he loses his senses, he might die?
The Shaykh : Die? If it is possible that he might die.
The questioner : He falls into a coma.
The Shaykh : If he is going to die or fall into a coma, this is a dire necessity. A person who fears death eats carrion and eats pork.
The questioner : Like intoxicants?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Do we analogize intoxicants to it, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Intoxicants are not a medicine.
The questioner : Can it be analogized...
The Shaykh : By Allah, I do not know about intoxicants. It appears that it will only increase his affliction. Yes.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : My father smokes and orders me to bring him tobacco. Should I obey him or not, knowing that he is incapacitated and sick?
The Shaykh : Incapacitated?
The questioner : And sick. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Tobacco is forbidden. The general texts of the Book and the Sunnah indicate that it is forbidden. If it is forbidden and your father orders you to bring it to him, he has ordered you to commit a sin. Will you obey your father in sin? Answer?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Do not obey him in sin,
A creature is not to be obeyed when it involves disobedience to the "Creator.”
لأنه لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالقAs for if he says, "No," and continues to smoke ten a day, for example, do not obey him, even if he becomes angry with you, speaks ill of you, or curses you; it will not harm you. Yes.
The questioner : I am afraid that if he loses his senses, he might die?
The Shaykh : Die? If it is possible that he might die.
The questioner : He falls into a coma.
The Shaykh : If he is going to die or fall into a coma, this is a dire necessity. A person who fears death eats carrion and eats pork.
The questioner : Like intoxicants?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Do we analogize intoxicants to it, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Intoxicants are not a medicine.
The questioner : Can it be analogized...
The Shaykh : By Allah, I do not know about intoxicants. It appears that it will only increase his affliction. Yes.