The ruling on one who drinks intoxicants on the pretext that they do not cause intoxication, and the ruling on his prayer

Question:
Finally, he asks and says: A man drinks intoxicants on the pretext that it is food for the blood, as he claims, and it does not intoxicate him, and he prays. What is the ruling on his prayer? And what is the ruling on what he does? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
If it intoxicates others and contains the substance of intoxication, then it is forbidden for him to drink it, even if it does not intoxicate him; because some people, if they become accustomed to it, may not become intoxicated. So it is forbidden for him whether it intoxicates him or not, if it is of the nature to intoxicate others; because it is khamr (intoxicants). So it is obligatory for him to leave it and beware of it.

The Shaykh : He repeats his question.

The presenter : He says: A man drinks intoxicants on the pretext that it is food for the blood, and it does not intoxicate him, and he prays. What is the ruling on his prayer? And what is the ruling on what he does?

The Shaykh : And it is not food for the blood, nor for anything else. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, and a man said to him: O Messenger of Allah! I make intoxicants for medicine. He said (peace and blessings be upon him): Muslim narrated it in his Sahih. But these are illusions they imagine will benefit them, and this is from the adornment of Satan. Even if we assume a doctor said it, the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) takes precedence. So it is not permissible to drink it, neither for medicine nor for anything else. Even if a thousand doctors said it is beneficial, it is not permissible to drink it, neither for treatment nor for anything else. It is a chronic disease, a great evil, and one of the major sins. No one has the right to drink it, neither for treatment nor for anything else, whether it intoxicates him or not, if it is of the nature to intoxicate others, but because of his habituation to it, it may not intoxicate him at times. This does not make it permissible for him. It is absolutely forbidden for him, even if it does not intoxicate him. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.

The presenter : So what about his prayer?

The Shaykh : His prayer is valid if he prayed while he was sane, and the intoxication had left him, and he performed wudu' (ablution) and prayed. As for in the state of intoxication, his prayer is not valid; because he is not sane.