The Islaamic Ruling on Smoking by Muhammad bin Saalih al-'Uthaimeen
O people! Fear Allaah and make use of what He has made lawful for you and beware of what He has prohibited. He left nothing which is good without making it lawful out of His grace, and nothing which is evil except that he prohibited it out of His mercy. So, just as He conferred upon you the bounty of making the good lawful, He also conferred upon you the bounty of making the evil prohibited. People should therefore offer praise to Him for both cases by willingly taking the lawful things and shunning the prohibited saying: 'we hear and obey.'
O people! Nowadays smoking has spread to every section of our society, even to young boys in the markets and in their homes. No one can deny the harmful effects that it has on one's body, financial condition, society and religion. As to its effects on the body, it weakens the body and heart and leads to diseases that might even lead to death such as cancer, cough and tuberculosis. This fact is confirmed by specialised scientists and reports issued by the World Health Organisation and also by the status quo. How many are the people who have weakened their bodies and health, and may kill themselves due to this habit of smoking? Do not be deceived by smokers who might appear to be of strong stature; unlike their outward appearance, they are not healthy in light of their lack appetite, the condition of their lungs, coughs, tuberculosis and feebleness which might be felt upon very little exertion. If they give up smoking then they will regain some of their health which they have lost as a result of smoking.
As for the effect on their financial condition, just ask any of them about the money that they expend daily on smoking, which, if spent on what is beneficial for a person and his family such as good food, drink, clothes, etc., would be of much benefit for ones religion and worldly life. Rather, a smoker uses up most of his money on this vain pursuit which only adds to his immediate and deferred injuries. We seek Allaahýs guidance for us and for them.
As for the traders who earn money from buying and selling such items and become wealthy after being poor and rich after being needy, then these are all ill-gotten gains and sinfulness. Such people are rich financial terms but very poor in their hearts; wealthy in this world but have nothing in the Hereafter, due to these ill-gotten gains which they made in this worldly life. They do not know when death will come to them forcing them to leave their wealth to their heirs while their hearts still long for it. Indeed poverty is better than wealth gained by disobeying Allaah.
As to the effects of smoking on the community, it diffuses social diseases that spread corruption amongst society, but most smokers do not care about the spread of this phenomenon among people; in fact they may actually enjoy seeing it spread among people to entertain and ease their own disastrous lifestyle. Therefore, they intentionally smoke in public before the youth, who become accustomed to this bad habit and regard it as a normal practice of the community. This leads to the inevitable outcome of the youth indulging in this fad to the extent that they rapidly become addicted to it. How many are the diseases that afflict those who use the remnants of cigarettes which are thrown in streets and public places!
As for its consequences on one's religion, most scholars, who are pure of all maladies and are well versed in the rulings of Islaamic Law, know for certain it's prohibition from the Islaamic texts and principles of Islaamic jurisprudence. Smoking is disobedience of Allaah and His Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and disobedience opposes faith, which decreases by committing sins just as it increases by doing good.
O Muslims! Those upon whom Allaah has conferred His bounty of being protected against this habit should praise Him for this bounty and ask Him for steadfastness and to protect his brothers who are plagued with this addiction so that they may give it up. They should also ask Allaah repeatedly to guard them and approach all possible means that might help others to shun it such as having a strong will, avoiding the places where this vice is practiced and replacing it with that which Allaah has made lawful of food and drink, for Allaah has made lawful any gate that might lead to good. They should also think of the affairs of those whom Allaah has released from the fetters of this habit and to what extent they regained their health and recovered from the diseases that afflicted them because of this addiction - surely all praise is due to Allaah.
Allaah says that which means: O you who have believed! Eat from the good [i.e., lawful] things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allaah, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.ý (Al-Baqarah: 172)
