The Ruling on the Leading of Prayer by One Who Smokes
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Q: What is the ruling on smoking, and the ruling on the leading of prayer by one who does so openly?
A: The scriptural evidence indicates that smoking is among the matters that are forbidden by the Shari'ah, due to the impurity and numerous harms it contains. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has not permitted His servants to consume from food and drink anything except what is pure and beneficial. As for what is harmful to them in their religion or their worldly life, or what alters their minds, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has forbidden it for them, and He ismore merciful to them than they are to themselves, and He is the Wise, the All-Knowing in His words, His actions, His Shari'ah, and His divine decree. He does not forbid anything in vain, nor does He create anything in falsehood, nor does He command anything in which His servants have no benefit; for He (Glorified and Exalted is He) is the Most Wise of the wise, the Most Merciful of the merciful, and He is the All-Knowing of what benefits His servants and is useful to them in the immediate and the hereafter, as He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:[Surah al-An'am: 83] And He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:: [Surah al-Insan: 30] And there are many verses in this meaning.
Among the Qur'anic proofs for the prohibition of smoking is His (Glorified and Exalted is He) sayingin His Noble Book in Surat al-Ma'idah:[Surah al-Ma'idah: 4] And He said in Surat al-A'raf, describing our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):[Al-A'raf 7:157] the verse [Surah al-A'raf: 157] Thus, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) clarified in these two noble verses that He (Glorified and Exalted is He) has not made lawful for His servants except the pure things; which are the beneficial foods and drinks. As for the harmful foods and drinks, such as intoxicants, narcotics, and other foods and drinks that are harmful to the religion, the body, or the mind, they are among the impure things that are forbidden.
The doctors and others who are knowledgeable about smoking and its harms have agreed that smoking is among the drinks that are greatly harmful. They mentioned that it is a cause of many diseases, such as cancer, death by stroke, and others. Therefore, there is no doubt in the prohibition of what is of this nature and the obligation to be cautious of it. It is not befitting for a person of intellect to be deceived by the large number of people who smoke. Allah the Exalted said in His clear Book:[al-An'am:116], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:: [al-Furqan:44].
As for the leading of prayer by a smoker and other sinners, it is not befitting to appoint such a person as imam. Rather, it is prescribed to choose for the imamate the best of the Muslims, those known for their religion and uprightness; for the imamate is a matter of great significance. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 673a This hadith was narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
In the two Sahihs, it is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said to Malik ibn al-Huwayrith and his companions:Sahih al-Bukhari 628.
However, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the imamate of a sinner is valid and whether praying behind him is valid.
Some of them said: The prayer behind him is not valid; due to the weakness of his religion and the deficiency of his faith. And others among the scholars of knowledge said: His imamate is valid and the prayer behind him is valid; because he is a Muslim whose own prayer is valid, so the prayer of those behind him is valid. And because many of the Companions prayed behind some of the rulers who were known for injustice and open sinfulness. Among them was Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who prayed behind al-Hajjaj, who was among the most unjust of people. This is the stronger position, which is the validity of his imamate and the prayer behind him. However, it is not befitting to appoint him as imam if there is the ability to appoint another from the people of goodness and righteousness.
This is a brief answer in which we intended to point out the principle ruling in these two issues and to clarify some of the evidence for that. The scholars have clarified the ruling of these two issues, so whoever wants to elaborate on it will find it.
And Allah is the One to be asked to rectify the conditions of the Muslims and to guide them all to uprightness upon His religion, and to guard against what contradicts His Shari'ah. Indeed, He is the Generous, the Noble. And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions.
A: The scriptural evidence indicates that smoking is among the matters that are forbidden by the Shari'ah, due to the impurity and numerous harms it contains. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has not permitted His servants to consume from food and drink anything except what is pure and beneficial. As for what is harmful to them in their religion or their worldly life, or what alters their minds, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has forbidden it for them, and He ismore merciful to them than they are to themselves, and He is the Wise, the All-Knowing in His words, His actions, His Shari'ah, and His divine decree. He does not forbid anything in vain, nor does He create anything in falsehood, nor does He command anything in which His servants have no benefit; for He (Glorified and Exalted is He) is the Most Wise of the wise, the Most Merciful of the merciful, and He is the All-Knowing of what benefits His servants and is useful to them in the immediate and the hereafter, as He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌIndeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًاAmong the Qur'anic proofs for the prohibition of smoking is His (Glorified and Exalted is He) sayingin His Noble Book in Surat al-Ma'idah:
They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُwho enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil
يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَThe doctors and others who are knowledgeable about smoking and its harms have agreed that smoking is among the drinks that are greatly harmful. They mentioned that it is a cause of many diseases, such as cancer, death by stroke, and others. Therefore, there is no doubt in the prohibition of what is of this nature and the obligation to be cautious of it. It is not befitting for a person of intellect to be deceived by the large number of people who smoke. Allah the Exalted said in His clear Book:
And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying.
وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلا يَخْرُصُونَOr do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except like livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way.
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلا كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًاAs for the leading of prayer by a smoker and other sinners, it is not befitting to appoint such a person as imam. Rather, it is prescribed to choose for the imamate the best of the Muslims, those known for their religion and uprightness; for the imamate is a matter of great significance. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The one who is most versed in Allah's Book should act as Imam for the people, but If they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding Sunnah if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate; it they emigrated at the same time, then the earliest one to embrace Islam.
يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب الله، فإن كانوا في القراءة سواء فأعلمهم بالسنة، فإن كانوا في السنة سواء فأقدمهم هجرة، فإن كانوا في الهجرة سواء فأقدمهم سلمًاIn the two Sahihs, it is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said to Malik ibn al-Huwayrith and his companions:
one of you should pronounce the Adhan for the prayer when its time is due and the oldest one amongst you should lead the prayer.
إذا حضرت الصلاة فليؤذن لكم أحدكم وليؤمكم أكبركمHowever, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the imamate of a sinner is valid and whether praying behind him is valid.
Some of them said: The prayer behind him is not valid; due to the weakness of his religion and the deficiency of his faith. And others among the scholars of knowledge said: His imamate is valid and the prayer behind him is valid; because he is a Muslim whose own prayer is valid, so the prayer of those behind him is valid. And because many of the Companions prayed behind some of the rulers who were known for injustice and open sinfulness. Among them was Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who prayed behind al-Hajjaj, who was among the most unjust of people. This is the stronger position, which is the validity of his imamate and the prayer behind him. However, it is not befitting to appoint him as imam if there is the ability to appoint another from the people of goodness and righteousness.
This is a brief answer in which we intended to point out the principle ruling in these two issues and to clarify some of the evidence for that. The scholars have clarified the ruling of these two issues, so whoever wants to elaborate on it will find it.
And Allah is the One to be asked to rectify the conditions of the Muslims and to guide them all to uprightness upon His religion, and to guard against what contradicts His Shari'ah. Indeed, He is the Generous, the Noble. And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.