Verily, shayton desires (by making you consume intoxicants and play games of chance) to create hatred and enmity amongst you and shield you from the remembrance of Allah and from observing solat, will you not abstain'' -Q5:91As earlier discussed, the pre-Islamic Arab society was wallowing in evil and abominable practices. One of such practices was brewing, selling and consumption of alcoholic drinks. Their alcoholism accounted for the systematic approach to its prohibition. The first verse that was revealed in respect of its prohibition did not place a total ban on its sale and drinking. Allah (SWT) says: 'They ask you (O Muhammed) the rule concerning intoxicants and games of chance, say, in both are great sins and some benefits to mankind; butthe sin weightier than its benefit '' Q2: 219In spite of Allah's declaration that the consumption of intoxicants is a great sin, some companions of the prophet persisted in taking alcohol until an occasion they drank and became intoxicated. Abdur-Rahman bin Auf reported that those who drank that day, although without their senses, still went for solat. Unfortunately, in the course of solat, one of the worshippers gave a negative meaning to the Qur'an in his recitation. This prompted Allah (SWT), in His all-embracing knowledge, to reveal another verse. Allah (SWT) says: 'O ye who believe, do not approach solat (prayers) when you are drunk until you are conscious of your speech (and action)'' Q4:43. This second verse restrained the believers from observing solat in a state of drunkenness until they regained consciousness.The final prohibition on the consumption of alcoholic drink came when the persistent drinking of alcohol led to social disorder among the companions, often resulting in onebeating the other. Allah (SWT) then legislated that the Muslims should jettison alcoholism because it is the handiwork of shayton. He says: 'O ye who believe, verily the consumption of intoxicants, games of chance, divination to stone'.. are all the evil handiwork of shayton, eschew them so that you may prosper. Q5:90.Spiritually, the taking of intoxicants prevents a Muslim from access to Allah because he cannot observe solat in that condition. Also, a drinkard does not remember Allah, neither can he supplicate to Allah for the goods of this world and the hereafter.Intellectually, alcohol and other kinds of intoxicants affect the brain and lowers the intelligent quotient of the drunker. Besides, an addicted person may eventually run mad.Social disorder such as street fighting and misunderstanding between husband and wife are commonly as a result of influence of alcohol. Many cases of divorce have been reported as a result of drunk husbands beating their wives. To crown it all, many innocent lives have been lost in both in road mishaps that can directly be traced to the drunkenness of the driver.Economically, Islam considers it an act of wasteful spending to earmark part of one's income for alcohol; Allah (SWT) says: 'Verily, spendthrifts are brethrens of shayton, and shayton himself is to his Lord an ingrate.'' - Q17:25.Those who spend their wealth on this bitter liquid areof the evil ones because the money spent on beer, palm wine, Burukutu, cocaine, heroine Indian hemp and other forms of intoxicants could have been channeled on productive activities.The evils of intoxicants are so great that the Sharia decrees that a drinkard should be given 80 lashes when caught.Therefore, if this is the gravity of the offence of taking alcoholic drinks and whatever intoxicates, Muslims are enjoined to eschew this odious practice and embrace righteousness.
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