Islam and alcohol

Thank your for the question. Actually I live in Azerbaijan, in a muslim country. But I drink and do not usually practice my religion. And that in reality makes me not to muslim in fact .

So dose Pakistan

Originally posted by Sparten So dose Pakistan http://www.murreebrewery.com/

This brewery is so well known, and also renowned for being the only distillery of whisky in the Islamic world outside Turkey with a long history, that it made its way into a book of the world's most famous whisky distilleries I read through recently.

To answer the post, it does appear logical that banning alcohol was another measure Mohammad implemented to prevent the incessant infighting which broke out between the Arab tribes. This was a necessary step to take before he could begin his military campaigns to expand outside Arabia.

Alcohol is an intoxicant, it is one of the most dangerous and devastating drug in existance. If it was invented today it would have been totally outlawed and be a high A class illegal narcotic.

FYI. Hope you enjoy it.

Alcohol and Islam

 by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D. 
President
Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.
7102 W. Shefford Lane
Louisville, KY 40242-6462, U.S.A.
E-mail: IRFI@INAME.COM
Website:  http://WWW.IRFI.ORG

 

Alcohol is a dangerous drug and a major public health menace in the United States and many other parts of the world.  Drinking alcohol is a disruptive social evil and it has been recognized as such since the beginning of the Islamic era.  Drug abuse is not only an American problem, but also it has become a serious worldwide socio-medical problem. 21^st century is witnessing the use of harmful substances as more common in a given society than at any time   Inspite of public education on the dangers of drug dependence, the number of drug-addicts is increasing day by day. The credit goes to Islam for successfully combating and eradicating drug-addiction.

Historically during the Jahiliyya period, in the Arabian Peninsula, brewing of alcohol from dates, grapes, honey and doura or durra (from Indian cereal, sorghum) was generally popular.  Drinking of wine was clearly identified as a troublesome social evil and successfully dealt with. Even after fourteen hundred years, Islam has successfully made its followers to abstain from alcohol, and prohibition of alcohol stands out as extraordinary and almost distinctive in human history.

History

Small but definitely measurable quantities of alcohol are normally present in many parts of the human body: in the liver, brain and blood; from bacteria in the large intestine; and in the muscles.

An ancient Persian legend says that Jamshid, a grape-loving king, stored ripe grapes grown in Shiraz in Fars Province, (which is about 935 km from Tehran) in a cellar so he could enjoy grapes all year long. One day he sent his slaves to fetch him some grapes. When they did not return he decided to go to the cellar himself only to find that the carbon dioxide gas emanating from some bruised fermenting grapes had knocked them out. The king ordered the jars be labeled as  "Poison" One of the king's rejected and distressed mistresses decided to end her life by drinking this poisoned potion, only to leave the cellar singing and dancing in high spirits. The king realized that this fruity liquid had the wonderful and mysterious power to make sad people happy. When Alexander overthrew the powerful Persian Empire he entered Darius's palace in January 330 BCE. During one of the conqueror's orgies soldiers raided the wine cellars. In a drunken moment Alexander ordered the destruction of Persepolis of Persia.

People discovered that alcoholic beverages could be produced from practically any fermentable material: fruits, berries, flowers, honey, the sap of trees, milk and from almost any plant or animal substance containing carbohydrates or sugar. In the tropics, people learned to use the sap of palm trees and cactus. In the Far and Near East and in Europe, they used honey and milk. In the New World, they used corn, barley, wheat, sugar cane, potatoes and a wide variety of other plants.

Ancient civilizations used alcohol to welcome friends and to say goodbye to them. They drank to in honor of new leaders, new years, marriages, births and deaths. People drank to each other's health and to avoid each other's illnesses. They drank to launch ships, to celebrate victory, and to forget the misery and defeat of war. They drank in luxury as a symbol of their wealth and in poverty to forget their hunger. They drank to their gods and to many earthly things.

In 2300 BCE, history records (in the Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon) a number of price-fixing and dispensing controls of alcoholic beverages. These statutes were directed at pub (inn or tavern) keepers of the time.  Later on in ancient Egypt, the priesthood issued a number of prohibitions (proscriptions) against excess alcohol drinking. Attempts to deal with the problems of excessive drinking were also recorded throughout Persian, Cretan, Arabic, Greek, and Roman history. In ancient Rome   the Romans were heavy drinkers, and the Emperor Domitian ordered the destruction of half the vineyards and forbade additional planting without imperial approval. The rulers of many other countries tried to enact similar restrictions.  No one succeeded in implementing prohibition, and hence prohibition was always repealed.

During the 17^th and 18^th centuries with the Protestant Reformation   drinking was condemned by the Christian church as sinful and immoral. The preaching of self-control by Calvin and Luther had a profound effect on not only Europe, but upon Colonial America, which pilgrims of these faiths were just settling.

Dates and Grapes

According to the Qur'an, wine was a "device of the devil" hence forbidden but it also states:

And from the fruits of date-palms and grapes, you derive wholesome drink or strong drink (this was before the order of the prohibition of the alcoholic drinks) and also good nourishment (as food), (is healing for mankind).  , Behold, Verily in this also is a Sign for those who are wise (or who understand or who have sense or who ponder)."  

                                                                                      Surah,  An-Nahl  16: 67

This Ayah or verse was revealed during the last Makkan stage of Prophethood.

continues@ http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_101_150/alcohol_and_islam.htm

Well, these are all interesting arguments. Myself, I'm a fairly heavy drinker. I usually have a few drinks a day, and on the weekends it's nice to get a little tight with the guys, or have a few glasses of wine with my girl. But it's good to hear other positions.

So in Islamic countries, from what I can discern, drinking is really only frowned upon, as opposed to being 100% forbidden? If it is forbidden, are there any penalties for drinking?
Cheers.

Originally posted by Brian J Checco Well, these are all interesting arguments. Myself, I'm a fairly heavy drinker. I usually have a few drinks a day, and on the weekends it's nice to get a little tight with the guys, or have a few glasses of wine with my girl. But it's good to hear other positions. So in Islamic countries, from what I can discern, drinking is really only frowned upon, as opposed to being 100% forbidden? If it is forbidden, are there any penalties for drinking? Cheers.

Well in Iran for example it is forbidden but the biggest, greatest smuggle product from Turkey to Iran is alcohol drink and drugs :D

ARTE tv from France filmed once on the Turkish - Iran border those smuggle operations :)

Originally posted by Aelfgifu Originally posted by Bulldog Alcohol is an intoxicant, it is one of the most dangerous and devastating drug in existance. If it was invented today it would have been totally outlawed and be a high A class illegal narcotic.   If we all smoked weed or crack for a thousand years I'm sure it would be socially accepted aswell, it doesn't however make it something to be really promoted.   Banning alcohol won't help prevent its usage, only education can.   How does this have to do with the question of why alcohol is forbidden in Islam? This is just your private opinion.   Alcohol, like smoking whatever, if done with reason is not harmful or bad. It is only when misused that it becomes so. Too much of anything is bad: you can kill yourself by drinking too much water as well. And yet nobody wants to prevent us from drinking water.   Cars are causing far more accidents, deaths and problems than alcohol, but no-one keeps carbrands from advertising.   And if education would prevent drinking, you would expect higher educated people to drink less, and yet it is generally university students who drink most. Besides, education on veneric diseases did nothing to stop people from having sex. Education on alcohol wont stop people from drinking. People like doing things that are nice. Instead education about drinking, like education on sex, should focus on how to do it safely, rather than on prohibition.   And if people could be stopped from drinking, you would expect the Turks to have done so by now. But they drink as much alcohol as most Europeans. Besides in countries were alcohol is very expensive, (Scandinavia, England, Netherlands) people do not at all drink less.

Adalwolf, I think this divide is one of the big cultural differences between a traditionally Islamic east and a traditionally Christian west. Alcohol is the central substance in the Christian mysteries (along side with the wafers; you know, the Transubstantiation), and us such, there is not much justification for the demonization of the recreational use of alcohol in the west. Can you imagine the argument?

That said, why did Muhammed (or God, depending on your beliefs) view alcohol consumption as a problem when the Qur'an was being compiled? Do many Muslims drink openly? I know many Muslims myself, but few, if any, who openly imbibe alcohol.

Originally posted by Bulldog Aelfgifu How does this have to do with the question of why alcohol is forbidden in Islam?   Alcohol is an intoxicant   Alcohol is prohibited as a measure to protect and look after the body, there are a number of ruling on issues which inflict harm upon human beings "recommending" us not to indulge in them.   The prohibition of Alcohol is in its own category, it does not fall in such serious areas as gbh, murder etc. It is taught that we should refrain from drinking as it can cause serious problems. If we do drink in privacy, not infront of families, do not drink excessively, do not drink to an extent where we poison ourselves or hurt others then we can be forgiven. However, if you get drunk and kill, hurt or abuse somebody or yourself you were warned and therefore there are no excuses.   Also different school's have different interpretations, Hanafi has the most liberal approach.