The Evil of Smoking

[SAGAL]

It is a universally accepted and indisputable fact that smoking has many

serious health and life hazards, for example, lung cancer, etc. to the

smoker as well as those (non-smokers) in his (smokers) environment,

therefore, not permissible. Shari'ah has explained in great length the

importance and virtue of good health to the extent that Rasulullah

(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) even advised to maintain a balance in eating

and drinking as an imbalance could be harmful to health. He advised having

dates, being hot in nature with cucumber, as it (cucumber) has a cooling

effect. (Shamaail). On one occasion, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi

Wasallam) even stopped Hadhrat Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) from eating dates

upon recovering from his illness and advised him to have vegetables instead.

 

Although dates is not only nutritious but also a means of obtaining

blessing, but in certain conditions, since it could be harmful, Rasulullah

(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) advised against it. From that, one can gauge

the extent of abstaining from cigarettes which contain many harmful

ingredients, for example, carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar and benzene vapour.

 

Therefore, smoking is harmful to the smoker as well as those around him.

Consider the following: Muhammad Abdul Ghaffaar al-Afghan in his book,

'Ninety nine harms of smoking' has said that smoking results in many

sicknesses which doctors have explained and they all amount to ninety nine.

 

Doctor Salahuddeen Abdur-Rabbi Nabiy, a neuro surgeon in Cairo says, 'When a

person becomes enslaved to the habit of smoking, it has a very harmful

effect on the smoker's health, especially to his heart. As a result his

heart beat and blood circulation becomes unstable and he experiences

drowsiness from time to time due to the shrinkin of his brain arteries.

Sometimes during old age, he suffers from high blood pressure and angina.

Similarly, his digestive and respiratory systems are harmed and the smoker

loses his appetite. He is also afflicted by a cough which is known as the

smoker's cough. When his nervous system is affected the smoker feels a

prickly sensation, a numbness in his limbs and also a pain in the nerves.'

 

In the annual conference of the American Doctors Council which took place in

Chicago in 1966, the main topic discussed was the harms of smoking. Doctors,

who were aware of the role that smoking played in lung cancer, became

alarmed when they heard that the least harm smoking causes is that at

arouses anxiety. Doctor Edward Kweller Hammond, head of statistics in the

Cancer Association of America said, "Verily lung cancer which is caused by

smoking cigarettes is not so serious in comparison to the injury caused by

smoking with other means." It is stated in the ninth edition of "World of

Knowledge" magazine that the time has come wherein it has become necessary

to expose all the harms of smoking. It should also be realised that these

dispecable substances even cause death.

 

It is also necessary to elucidate the harms of smoking in the hope of saving

many intelligent and educated youth, who will be astonished on how much has

been written regarding this topic. It is also stated in the above-mentioned

magazine under the following heading, "Cancer Caused by Smoking":

 

This fatal illness is the culmination of many illnesses which are the result

of thin blood and other sicknesses which are related to the blood vessels.

All these are connected to this loathsome substances. However, lung cancer

is the most likely outcome of smoking.

 

Lung cancer was a very rare disease but the end of this century witnessed a

high rise in its occurance, primarily in men and thereafter in women. In the

beginning of the sixties, the death rate due to lung cancer increased

compared to before. Smoking also yields other health hazards besides its

general and specific economic harms.

PROOF FOR THE PROHIBITION OF SMOKING

Smoking did not exist in the time of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi

Wasallam), but our magnificent Deen has laid down general principles from

which many laws are derived. From these principles, the Ulama (Allah's mercy

be upon them) have come to the conclusion that smoking is Haraam.

 

An Aayaat of the Noble Qur'aan states, 'And do not throw yourself into

destruction with your own hands.' (Baqarah 195). Smoking causes fatal

sicknesses, for example, lung cancer, tuberculosis, etc.

 

In another Aayat, Allah Ta'ala says, 'And do not kill yourselves'. (Nisaa

29). Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam said, 'Whomsoever drinks poison,

thereby killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire

of Jahannum.'

 

Cigarettes consist of many poisonous substances and furthermore, the smoker

indulges in a slow suicidal act by smoking this poison.

 

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best