Below is a post that I wrote four years ago regarding the issue of some youth questioning if marijuana can be smoked during the month of Ramadan.
The exception to what was written below is that if someone has a prescription for marijuana for a legitimate medical reason such as glaucoma.
***
http://dawudwalid.blogspot.com/2007/09/no-marijuana-inside-and-outside-of.html
I’ve become a little troubled by the amount of people, who are finding this blog by googling “marijuana Ramadan.” Muslims from Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia to the USA are making these inquires.
Clearly in Islam, all intoxicants are forbidden, which includes marijuana.
I know, it comes from “the earth” and we are allowed to use the “herbs.” Nevertheless, it is impermissible in Islam and illegal in America.
Moving to the subject of qat, a stimulant leaf that is popularly chewed in Ethiopia and Yemen, some scholars in Yemen do not deem qat as impermissible. Qat, however, is illegal in America, and its use is not legitimate here. It’s illegal! The one who smuggled it into America is a criminal just as the chewer is a violator of the law.
So for Ramadan, quit your marijuana and qat habits. And no drinking of a glass of red wine a day because the doctor said that it’s “good for the blood.”
SEE references below:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was once asked about certain drinks made from honey, corn, or barley by the process of fermenting them until they became alcoholic. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) succinctly replied, “Every intoxicant is Khamr, and every Khamr is haram.” (Reported by Muslim.)
And `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) declared from the pulpit of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that “Khamr is that which befogs the mind.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Also, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Of that which intoxicates in a large amount, a small amount is haram.” (Reported by Ahmad Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi.) And again, “If a bucketful intoxicates, a sip of it is haram.” (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi.)
I agree. But how would you consider marijuana to “befog the mind”? I understand that drinking alcohol can lead to impaired judgement and loss of inhibition, but I don’t feel the same for Marijuana. Yes, you may find the typical stereotype of a marijuana smoker to just laugh, be lazy, and not care about things. However, you are taking into account the people who use it as a recreational drug, and so the majority of marijuana growers nowadays cater their plants to fit the desires of the consumer (strong in smell and effects), and so it is usually loaded with many chemical fertilizers that are harmful. However, there is a much bigger medical market for Marijuana now, and you can find growers growing Marijuana the natural way – absolutely organic. These organic plants don’t leave one feeling as if they are on a crazy drug trip (with after-effects of headaches and groggyness). It is clean, and pure. I am muslim, and smoke organic marijuana everyday to help ease my anxieties and depressions that have come from modern society. I am sure this is much better and less intoxicating to my body than taking harmful and addicting anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicines. I do not believe in alcohol at all.
During Ramadan, I believe one should refrain from as many “life crutches” as possible. Seeing as it is only one month, muslims should at least make an attempt to rely on God. However, I also see it no problem during Ramadan that if you need marijuana, even for self-diagnosed issues like depression and anxiety, to smoke it. Why should you live every day in Ramadan with severe depression? It should be about becoming more spiritual, becoming closer to God, becoming more grateful about life, and giving more to the unfortunate.
ONE SHOULD NOT BE DEPRESSED IF HOLDING FIRM TO THE ROPE OF ALLAH (SWT) ISLAM IS PERFECTED TO BRING OUT THE GOODNESS IN ONES NATURE & SPIRIT. IF TRULY ON YOUR DEAN, YOU WOULDNT WANT TO SMOKE MARIJUANA (FISIBILILA) FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH (SWT) & BEING PURE FOR HIM.
Are you kidding me? Why is it ok to take Xanax or Norco (both highly addictive and one being derived from Opium) but not medical marijuana? Please give a LOGICAL and religiously supported as to why we can take prescribed Opiates and Barbiturates for pain management and anxiety disorders but not medical marijuana which has been shown to be less harmful (when ingested by means besides smoking) than the two aforementioned medications?
Assalamalaykum Mr Abdul Aziz,
Unfortunately in reality, People with chemical imbalances within their body will be prone to depression and anxiety. Islam will only help one to a certain point. The truth is depression is an illness, the same way one suffers from any other Physical or mental condition. Treatment of the illness may be benefited from the use of medication, Muslim scholars are the people who pioneered the use of medication for treatment all those years ago. (Mashallah)
In terms of using marijuana as a medication, it is a medicine in some conditions whether we like it or not. This has been backed up by scientific evidence. Although saying that with depression it can work both ways, either improving ones quality of life or increasing the symptoms of depression. This will always differ from person to person.
If one was using Cannabis as a medication during Ramadan, they would not even need to fast due to their illness at all. So that should be taken out of the equation.
We all have a choice in this life that we live in today, and if doing anything helps improve our quality of life, we should do that and be grateful for it, Allah does not want people to suffer.
One last thing,
If there are two men, one prays 5 times a day at his mosque, gives 2.5% Zakat, claims he is on his deen but makes his money through the sale of fake goods to unknowing customers, through scams and commits assaults. The other does not go pray all his namaz, does not go to the mosque but helps everyone in his community, donates a large amount of his income to help the poor, is a kind and caring person, but smokes Cannabis. Who is the better Muslim?
A Good Muslim is based on True Intentions, if you are here to benefit society and help not hurt others, you will always be a good Muslim
I am muslim and I have a very bad sleeping disorder. I’ve tried other alternatives, I’m either sluggish or still not able to sleep. There are several over the counter drugs that’s very toxic and mind altering. I feel alot of people just have vengeance attitude against Marijuana. Also Allah is the only one who can judge
If you are using it for medical purposes and have consulted with a medical professional, you’re fine in sha Allah.
Can someone please answer to this question : If I were to smoke weed/marijuana say tomorrow, would I become haraam for 40 days and will my salaats not be accepted for 40 days, nor my fasts?
The scholars are of consensus that marijuana is forbidden. It’s not my mere opinion.
Now even if marijuana was halal, it couldn’t be smoked during fasting hours. Discussing whether other drugs are more harmful than marijuana is “straw man” argument because marijuana’s status has no connection to other drugs like cocaine or PCP or whether your weed is “organic” or not.
BTW, all living matter, which contains carbon is organic. All weed is organic; that doesn’t make it wholesome (tayyib).
No dawud, when I say organic, I mean it is grown with organic fertilizers. Majority of marijuana is grown with chemical fertilizers… which give the negative side effects of grogginess, laziness and clouded-minds. It’s just as you get an organically-grown vegetable market against a conventionally-grown vegetable market in supermarkets nowadays. It is definitely not true that all weed is organic.
and also, about you saying it’s a “straw man” argument – I wasn’t comparing marijuana to other drugs (as you mentioned, such as PCP). I said that organic marijuana doesn’t “leave one feeling as if they are on a crazy drug trip” in the terms that in comparison to conventionally-grown marijuana (grown with chemical fertilizers), organically grown marijuana does not leave your mind fogged.
So your comments are a little contradictory. If you have a license for medical marijuana can you smoke it without breaking your fast for medicinal purposes – organic, or not?
No medicines can be taken during fasting hours. Marijuana is forbidden at all times if it isn’t for medical purposes.
And Allah knows best.
Dawud, do you know that there are drugs that not only befog the mind, but in fact have anti-depressive effects, meaning that they get the depressed person out of a befoged state of mind? It happened this to me (I wont mention the drug, although there more and more articles in papers about this effects) to discover it by chance, and for several years I was in a really bad mood, and this drug saved me, wherener I took it it gave me some energyy for months. So stop giving lessons based on some primitive and narrow minded scholars from the third century and on some hadoth that we dont even know how reliable they are…nowadyas, people want arguments. Yes, is obvious that alcohol is dangerous, and those hadith are about alcohol, not drugs in general. If we were living ijitihad (but thanks to your beloved medieveal scolars we’re not) we could have used analogic reasoning to declare other drugs haram based on similarities with alcohol, that would involve the negative aspects, so you have to point to the negative aspects of marijuana for ex, to make it haram, in the same way the Prophet pointed to the negative aspects of alcohol for making it haram.
All intoxicants are haraam in not used clearly for a medical usage. This is what scholars continue to rule.
I smoked weed a few days before Ramadan. Can I still fast or not? Does my fast count?
Make sincere tawbah from smoking weed and continue fasting this month. Allah (SWT) is Oft-Forgiving, the Merciful Redeemer.
Of course your fast still counts does, even (i think) if you commit zina or murder before hand, I think it still can count. IMO (I’m no scholar, and infact new Muslim, so take my advice with a ocean full of salt), is that it should be considered the same as smoking tobacco, unless you have a medical reason. The ummah won’t see eye to eye on this, but lets be real, we live in America (or Canada, or even Holland) and marijuana affects people differently. Some people and some strains gain clarity, others it removes anxiety, for everyone it makes them hungry (probably really dumb to smoke right before the fast tho! Good luck resisting munchies!). Some people makes them lazy. It’s a plant that we know so little about (even know some scientists have found proof that some strains can revert cancer cells. Almost all medications can be abused, believe it or not, marijuana was only illegal for 80 years prior, and became illegal not to prevent people from abusing it, but to prevent people from using hemp to make paper, etc. Maybe in another 50 years, we will finally have the knowledge to prescribe this plant to others. My opinion, if you seriously need it to avoid anxiety (or even worse, anxiety medications, which are far, far worse), then it should be ok. Just don’t trick yourself thinking you have an anxiety issue or something just to smoke all day.
Just my 2 rubles. Sometimes I wonder, what if we’ve been wrong, since no one has really studied this plant, (at least not as well as other drugs have been studied, and certainly not in the last 10 years) And Marinol (synthetic marijuana) has caused overdoses and (which the plant, as thus far, has not). I was thinking about this, and ran across this blog :). I try to look up information about this all the time, and keep praying every night that Allah(swt) will give me the knowledge to figure this plant out. It’s far more complex than “weed gets you high, so it’s haram”.
Disclaimer: I am NOT saying for brothers and sisters to go buy some lids (am I showing my age with this old term? :P) Just I know I’ve gotten far more messed up, sick, from just a little hookah, and it seems tons of Muslims smoke that junk, then I ever did in the past from medical marijuana (mexico brick weed….different story. Maybe we should open the discussion about this. In the end, only Allah (swt) can judge the intention of people using this plant.
Assalaamu alaykum, I find it very interresting to read all the above topics regarding is it permissable or not.Well first of all it is good to see that we as humans have a consious that reminds us that the allmighty is watching and recording every sjngle act that we do. So no matter what you do,you will each stand account on the day of judgement for your actions.So think twice when you want to satisfy your needs even if you have the haviest of battles you fight , then you rather fight it then let it overcome you.Remember doing an act that is good in the path of Allah swt just brings you closereffort.Remember Allah swt loves those, who atleast make the effort to restrain from all these things, and believe me its a tough road.The more you want to do good for Allah swt, the more hrshaytaan will try to keep you off the good path.so you have to build your way up slowly and start crawling to Allah swt ,then you will see the end of the day that you are about tojust where Allah swt wants you to be.Make salaah read quraan make dua,cry even if it must but talk to your Allah when you must,swt,the Allmighty wants to listen to to your situation.its only u you who are have to make the effort.
Why is it considered haram to smoke after your fast? For some people it reveals your true personality and you know yourself better. In some cases it can help you be closer to Allah (swt) and see his works throughout your life. It’s not a toxicant like alcohol and calms you down for the most part. If it helps you understand yourself more and strengthen your religious beliefs, than why should it be haram?
It has been deemed haram unless for medicinal purposes. It alters perception, which is the definition of an intoxicant. That it does not give the same effect as alcohol is not the point. Smoking opium doesn’t give the same effect as alcohol and calms too.
There is no evidence that smoking cannibus strengthens religious beliefs.
As-salam ou allekom,
First off i want to say mashallah everybody handle the argument in an islamic matter. Point being is that if you “medically need it” and get “prescribed” by a trustworthy doctor, than inshallah it’s not haram, but also if you get lucky enough to hint it to the doctor thats what you need (happens here in america) than of course it is haram. Let’s not forget your intentions is what plays a very great role in our religion.
P.s excuse my grammer.
The intentions are the most important matter. JazakAllahu khayran.
Dear brothers this is a very interesting subject, after reading all of the comments. I can tell you honestly that I only smoke cannabis at night I try to smoke after I have prayed isha. However, I always I mean always face a problem!! I’ll get to that in a bit. I smoke cannabis to help me sleep easier, yes it does affect others differently, I can smoke and study,work,socialise all the normal things I would do, it does not really affect my mind.. I got a award for the most outstanding student in business whilst hardcore smoking weed. However, after years of smoking I can tell you the way it does affect you.
It affects you with your relationship with Allah swh, I personally cannot try to communicate with Allah whilst under the influence of cannabis. I feel ashamed, not a strong believer, not close to Allah! Whatever it may be haram or not I tell you. After you pray isha and smoke, what about when it’s time for fajr? Will you stand up? Well I don’t, I’ll be fast a sleep and that’s my problem! ‘ how can I miss fajr prayers??? Shame on me. So this is what I discovered about using any drug that makes your mind not clear and affects your body. We are supposed to pray 5 times a day and what we don’t do is think about prayer 1 (fajr)when you just finished prayer 5(isha). Therefore, I realized and inshallah from today I will stop smoking and I mean not try but stop inshallah!!
May Allah (SWT) help you.
I don’t get what the big deal is if you smoke it for fun. If you eat it it doesn’t harm your body and it doesn’t cloud your judgment. we obviously shouldn’t smoke while fasting and i get it our minds shouldn’t be foggy while we pray. for me i smoke after isha or when im on my period basically when im not praying. also i don’t get how it makes us closer to God, i thought that was pretty funny. but yeah it gets me in a good mood when im depressed so what the hell
The big deal is it is haram. Intoxication inspires lewdness through lowered inhibitions, or at the least makes the intoxicated ghaflah/heedless of remembering Allah (SWT) in comparison to a state of sobriety.
Doing what is halal and being mindful gets us closer to Allah (SWT).