What is the ruling on sitting with a smoker and how to deal with him?
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The questioner : O Shaykh: It is not hidden how widespread smoking is in every place, at work, at home, and in public places. The question is: Is it permissible to sit with them? And if a smoker is in your home or in a public gathering, do you leave and go out, and likewise in the workplace?
The Shaykh : As the brother mentioned, smoking is forbidden based on the general evidence for its prohibition. There is no specific text from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding it, because it did not occur until recently. However, the principles of the Shari'ah are general, and the indication in some texts to its prohibition is decisive in its prohibition. So if a smoker comes next to you and wants to smoke, advise him gently.
Say: "My brother! This is forbidden and not permissible for you."
In my opinion, if you advise him gently and kindly, he will refrain, as others have tried this and we have also tried it. If he does not do so, meaning if he does not stop smoking, it is obligatory for you to leave him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:140] But if he is in public places, or in the workplace, and you advised him but he did not do so, meaning he did not stop, then there is no blame on you for staying, because it is a dire necessity, and you cannot get rid of him.
Can we say: If the market has women displaying their adornment and men smoking, we say do not go to the market to fulfill your need? We do not say this. So the thing that people are compelled to do, even if it contains sin, they have no sin in it, but he must first advise the one committing the sin, perhaps Allah will guide him through his hands.
The Shaykh : As the brother mentioned, smoking is forbidden based on the general evidence for its prohibition. There is no specific text from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding it, because it did not occur until recently. However, the principles of the Shari'ah are general, and the indication in some texts to its prohibition is decisive in its prohibition. So if a smoker comes next to you and wants to smoke, advise him gently.
Say: "My brother! This is forbidden and not permissible for you."
In my opinion, if you advise him gently and kindly, he will refrain, as others have tried this and we have also tried it. If he does not do so, meaning if he does not stop smoking, it is obligatory for you to leave him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them
وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً مِثْلُهُمْCan we say: If the market has women displaying their adornment and men smoking, we say do not go to the market to fulfill your need? We do not say this. So the thing that people are compelled to do, even if it contains sin, they have no sin in it, but he must first advise the one committing the sin, perhaps Allah will guide him through his hands.