Islam and Alcohol

[Katsumoto]

I was just wondering why alcohol is not allowed for Muslims. I asked my friend and he said its because it intoxicates your body or something, but then I was thinking, if you only drink a bit and not get drunk would that count as intoxication? So any info on this would be appreciated, thanks.

[Arto]

It depend how you interperate it. It's forbidden or advised not to. A few drinks would be good unless you take many whereas your body will get intoxicated like your friend said.

[Chaigidel]

but its ok to smoke hash and meth because they arent mentioned right?

[Arto]

but its ok to smoke hash and meth because they arent mentioned right?

Look it differs per person, it's meant to get out of the problems for a while. I know Muslim people who drink wine but only 1 or 2 glasses.

[Каие]

but its ok to smoke hash and meth because they arent mentioned right?

Anything which damages your health and body is frowned up.

[Yosemite]

but its ok to smoke hash and meth because they arent mentioned right?

in the verse it says "intoxicants"

[Dr. Croccer]

If I'm not mistaken, the Koran states that intoxication is wrong, but not drinking per se.

[ShADoW]

If I'm not mistaken, the Koran states that intoxication is wrong, but not drinking per se.

Yeh, as long as you don't become drunk.

[Shams al-Ma'rifa]

Yeh, as long as you don't become drunk.

actually, the quran states that (any) intoxicants should be avoided because it does more harm than good. the same applies to gambling because although you could win millions, you have a much greater risk of losing money.

people might question why alcohol is heavily discouraged even if you don't get drunk. even though its been proven that alcohol has some benefits for your heart, its also been proven that it damages your brain and liver.

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm

in conclusion even if you don't get drunk, intoxicants are still highly discouraged (to the point that the majority agree that it is forbidden) partly because of its long term effects on the brain and liver (among other reasons).

[Chaigidel]

so that extends to any intoxication?-- does it give any tips on what qualifies?

[Shams al-Ma'rifa]

so that extends to any intoxication?-- does it give any tips on what qualifies?

2:219 They will ask thee about intoxicants (any intoxicants) and games of chance. Say: "In both there is great evil as well as some benefit for man; but the evil which they cause is greater than the benefit which they bring."

5:90 O YOU who have attained to faith! Intoxicants, and games of chance, and idolatrous practices, and the divining of the future are but a loathsome evil of Satan's doing:' shun it, then, so that you might attain to a happy state!

5:91 By means of intoxicants and games of chance Satan seeks only to sow enmity and hatred among you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not, then, desist?'

hope this clears it up

[githo]

2:219 They will ask thee about intoxicants (any intoxicants) and games of chance. Say: "In both there is great evil as well as some benefit for man; but the evil which they cause is greater than the benefit which they bring."

5:90 O YOU who have attained to faith! Intoxicants, and games of chance, and idolatrous practices, and the divining of the future are but a loathsome evil of Satan's doing:' shun it, then, so that you might attain to a happy state!

5:91 By means of intoxicants and games of chance Satan seeks only to sow enmity and hatred among you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not, then, desist?'

hope this clears it up

Those are some very interesting points! I very much like the 2:219. Strange how some of those old scriptures still contain so very much truth these days. Religious scriptures contain a treasury of moral and ethics (while alot are aged and don't fit in these modern days), always interesting to read up on those and broaden your horizons.

Maybe being a christian I should start by reading the Bible before diving into the koran/thora/... Allthough you will probably get the most clear and ubiased/objective view by reading them all. I suppose they have very much in common.

Spiritual search here I come

[Katsumoto]

Ah right thanks for the info. Btw what does "the divining of the future" refer to? Predicting it?

[Shams al-Ma'rifa]

Ah right thanks for the info. Btw what does "the divining of the future" refer to? Predicting it?

yes fortune telling, etc. i mean, i guess its ok do it for the lulz (horoscopes, tarots, etc. but you shouldnt take it seriously. more conservative muslims would forbid all together however...

[Kashked]

There are muslims who think it is only alcohol that is intented, other interpret it as meaning all mind-altering substances. Some even draw the line at coffee (and I have learned that from secondary sources to the building descriptions in MTW2...)
Some interpret it as an absolute, others as a guideline.

[MaximiIian]

Ah right thanks for the info. Btw what does "the divining of the future" refer to? Predicting it?

Fortune telling, divination, etc.
Practices which were mostly associated with polytheism and pre-Abrahamic religious systems, and were widely practised until the rise of the large monotheistic religions.
Judaism and Christianity are much the same way; the line in the Old Testament referencing "witchcraft" originally was a Hebrew term that could be translated as divination. One of the first practices outlawed by Theodosius in his crackdown on polytheism was divination in all its forms.

[Orko]

I was just wondering why alcohol is not allowed for Muslims. I asked my friend and he said its because it intoxicates your body or something, but then I was thinking, if you only drink a bit and not get drunk would that count as intoxication? So any info on this would be appreciated, thanks.

Because Muhammad tried to look original when he copied his religion from Judaism by making up his own ridicolous bans

[Shams al-Ma'rifa]

Because Muhammad tried to look original when he copied his religion from Judaism by making up his own ridicolous bans

yes lets place an irrelevant, unproven claim into a random thread that has the word "islam" in it in hopes of sparking a flame war...

[Orko]

yes lets place an irrelevant, unproven claim into a random thread that has the word "islam" in it in hopes of sparking a flame war...

Lol. I wasn't serious.

[ShADoW]

I Lol'd, thanks for the laugh.