The Ruling on Eating Qat and Selling It
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The qat tree has destroyed people’s wealth and their health. When we forbid them from it, they say: “Bring us a text from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?”
Answer:
Qat and tobacco are both among the invalid things, among the causes of misguidance. Both are evil. They all harm Muslims in their health and their bodies, and they cause the anger of Allah to befall them. Therefore, they are what is wrong, and it is forbidden to sell them, buy them, their prices, and trade in them.
The harms of qat are known to the people of Yemen. They have tried it and come to know it, but many of them have been afflicted by it. For this reason, they are biased in its favor and find it difficult to leave it, just as some of the people of tobacco are biased in favor of tobacco, even though they know its harm and its nuisance to them. But the matter of habit is severe, and habits are overpowering for many people. We ask Allah for well-being.
So the conclusion: That qat is forbidden. The discerning and reliable scholars of Yemen have known its evil, written about it, and explained its invalidity. A conference was held on this matter a short time ago, and the scholars who attended agreed on the prohibition of qat, its great harm, and that it is obligatory not to cultivate it, not to sell it, and not to buy it. It is obligatory to avoid it and beware of it. Just as it is obligatory not to cultivate the tobacco tree, not to use it, and not to sell or buy it.
These are matters from which one must beware. Whoever is afflicted with any of them must repent to Allah for it. He should not be deceived by habit, nor submit to a bad habit. Rather, he must be free from bad habits and stay away from what Allah has forbidden him, even if he has become accustomed to it. Just as intoxicants are among the abominations, indeed the mother of all abominations, if a person becomes accustomed to them, it becomes difficult for him to leave them—may Allah protect us—and they are the mother of all abominations. How then would it be easier to leave tobacco and qat?
Therefore, it is obligatory for the believer to fear Allah, to beware of what Allah has forbidden him, and to have a sincere and strong determination to leave what Allah has forbidden, even if it is a habit he is fighting. When people become accustomed to what is invalid, it becomes difficult for them to leave it, but the right of Allah is greater. The right of Allah is greater, and obedience to Him is greater.
Therefore, it is obligatory to obey Allah, to beware of what is forbidden, and for the believer to be strong and great, fighting bad habits and strengthening himself to leave them, seeking help from Allah in doing so. He should not be deceived by Satan, nor be tricked by Satan, nor by bad companions. We ask Allah for safety.
The qat tree has destroyed people’s wealth and their health. When we forbid them from it, they say: “Bring us a text from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?”
Answer:
Qat and tobacco are both among the invalid things, among the causes of misguidance. Both are evil. They all harm Muslims in their health and their bodies, and they cause the anger of Allah to befall them. Therefore, they are what is wrong, and it is forbidden to sell them, buy them, their prices, and trade in them.
The harms of qat are known to the people of Yemen. They have tried it and come to know it, but many of them have been afflicted by it. For this reason, they are biased in its favor and find it difficult to leave it, just as some of the people of tobacco are biased in favor of tobacco, even though they know its harm and its nuisance to them. But the matter of habit is severe, and habits are overpowering for many people. We ask Allah for well-being.
So the conclusion: That qat is forbidden. The discerning and reliable scholars of Yemen have known its evil, written about it, and explained its invalidity. A conference was held on this matter a short time ago, and the scholars who attended agreed on the prohibition of qat, its great harm, and that it is obligatory not to cultivate it, not to sell it, and not to buy it. It is obligatory to avoid it and beware of it. Just as it is obligatory not to cultivate the tobacco tree, not to use it, and not to sell or buy it.
These are matters from which one must beware. Whoever is afflicted with any of them must repent to Allah for it. He should not be deceived by habit, nor submit to a bad habit. Rather, he must be free from bad habits and stay away from what Allah has forbidden him, even if he has become accustomed to it. Just as intoxicants are among the abominations, indeed the mother of all abominations, if a person becomes accustomed to them, it becomes difficult for him to leave them—may Allah protect us—and they are the mother of all abominations. How then would it be easier to leave tobacco and qat?
Therefore, it is obligatory for the believer to fear Allah, to beware of what Allah has forbidden him, and to have a sincere and strong determination to leave what Allah has forbidden, even if it is a habit he is fighting. When people become accustomed to what is invalid, it becomes difficult for them to leave it, but the right of Allah is greater. The right of Allah is greater, and obedience to Him is greater.
Therefore, it is obligatory to obey Allah, to beware of what is forbidden, and for the believer to be strong and great, fighting bad habits and strengthening himself to leave them, seeking help from Allah in doing so. He should not be deceived by Satan, nor be tricked by Satan, nor by bad companions. We ask Allah for safety.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.