The Ruling on Returning to Smoking After Quitting
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Abdullah Khalil from the Eastern Region sent a question saying: I have a cousin who used to smoke, then he quit smoking, but he wants to return to it. I told him that it is not permissible for him to return to it because he swore by Allah, holding the Qur'an in his hand, that he would not smoke. However, he is determined to return to smoking and says that he is unable to do otherwise. What must he do? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory for him to guard against returning to it, to fear Allah in this matter, and to treat the issue with whatever food, drink, or medication he can manage until he abandons it. Even a believer must strive against his own self, restrain it for the sake of the truth, and prevent it from falsehood, even if it craves it. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: [Al-'Ankabut: 69]. Striving is necessary.
It is not permissible for him to return to smoking, or to drink intoxicants, or to any other of the sins, even if his soul craves it. If he is afflicted with severe difficulty, he must treat it, he must strive, he must be patient and endure, and he must do whatever he can of the types of treatment that prevent him from inclining toward this vile drink, which is harmful to him in his religion and his worldly life. The harm of smoking is great in both religion and worldly life. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious. It is obligatory for every smoker to fear Allah, to guard against this affliction and stay away from it, to strive against his own self, and to advise his brothers to abandon it. This is what is obligatory for everyone. And Allah, Exalted is He, says: [Al-Ma'idah: 2], and He says: [Al-Tawbah: 71].
Therefore, striving against the self and restraining it from this forbidden thing is necessary. Likewise, regarding all sins, it is obligatory for the believer to strive against his own self, to prevent it from what Allah has forbidden, and to be patient with whatever hardship occurs until the soul becomes indifferent to it, and until his heart finds peace, and until things become normal after patience and seeking reward from Allah. Then everything in his heart will end, and Allah will place in his heart faith, strength, love of good, and hatred of evil, by reason of his striving against his own self and his patience.
The disbelievers used to have a clinging to disbelief, an attachment to it, and a fighting for it, and a struggle with weapons. So when Allah expanded their breasts for Islam, they abandoned that, stayed away from it, and Allah placed in their hearts love, faith, and guidance. They abandoned that which they used to fight for with weapons. We ask Allah for safety.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you.
Do you advise this questioner, O Shaykh, to be sincere in supplication for him? Does it have a strong effect?
The Shaykh: Yes, we advise him to supplicate, asking his Lord, saying: O Allah, protect me from this affliction. O Allah, place in my heart and my soul what prevents me from it. O Allah, protect me from its evil, and protect me from the evil of my own self. O Allah, protect me from Satan... He asks his Lord for assistance and success. He asks his Lord for success in being patient regarding this affliction and other sins.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
Abdullah Khalil from the Eastern Region sent a question saying: I have a cousin who used to smoke, then he quit smoking, but he wants to return to it. I told him that it is not permissible for him to return to it because he swore by Allah, holding the Qur'an in his hand, that he would not smoke. However, he is determined to return to smoking and says that he is unable to do otherwise. What must he do? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory for him to guard against returning to it, to fear Allah in this matter, and to treat the issue with whatever food, drink, or medication he can manage until he abandons it. Even a believer must strive against his own self, restrain it for the sake of the truth, and prevent it from falsehood, even if it craves it. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:
And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَIt is not permissible for him to return to smoking, or to drink intoxicants, or to any other of the sins, even if his soul craves it. If he is afflicted with severe difficulty, he must treat it, he must strive, he must be patient and endure, and he must do whatever he can of the types of treatment that prevent him from inclining toward this vile drink, which is harmful to him in his religion and his worldly life. The harm of smoking is great in both religion and worldly life. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious. It is obligatory for every smoker to fear Allah, to guard against this affliction and stay away from it, to strive against his own self, and to advise his brothers to abandon it. This is what is obligatory for everyone. And Allah, Exalted is He, says:
cooperate in righteousness and piety
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىThe believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِTherefore, striving against the self and restraining it from this forbidden thing is necessary. Likewise, regarding all sins, it is obligatory for the believer to strive against his own self, to prevent it from what Allah has forbidden, and to be patient with whatever hardship occurs until the soul becomes indifferent to it, and until his heart finds peace, and until things become normal after patience and seeking reward from Allah. Then everything in his heart will end, and Allah will place in his heart faith, strength, love of good, and hatred of evil, by reason of his striving against his own self and his patience.
The disbelievers used to have a clinging to disbelief, an attachment to it, and a fighting for it, and a struggle with weapons. So when Allah expanded their breasts for Islam, they abandoned that, stayed away from it, and Allah placed in their hearts love, faith, and guidance. They abandoned that which they used to fight for with weapons. We ask Allah for safety.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you.
Do you advise this questioner, O Shaykh, to be sincere in supplication for him? Does it have a strong effect?
The Shaykh: Yes, we advise him to supplicate, asking his Lord, saying: O Allah, protect me from this affliction. O Allah, place in my heart and my soul what prevents me from it. O Allah, protect me from its evil, and protect me from the evil of my own self. O Allah, protect me from Satan... He asks his Lord for assistance and success. He asks his Lord for success in being patient regarding this affliction and other sins.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.