--- title: "Why Does Islam Forbid Alcohol and Drugs? | Islam Is Mercy" description: "The Qur'an forbade alcohol in gradual stages, and the Prophet ﷺ taught that every intoxicant is forbidden — to protect the mind, the family and society." lang: en url: https://islamismercy.com/en/views/alcohol-and-drugs/ --- 1. [Home](https://islamismercy.com/en/) 2. [Islam's View On…](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/) 3. Why Does Islam Forbid Alcohol and Drugs? # Why Does Islam Forbid Alcohol and Drugs? Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 3 min readAwaiting scholar review ## The short answer Islam forbids alcohol and every other intoxicant because they cloud the mind, damage health and families, and turn people away from God. The Qur'an forbade alcohol gradually, in stages, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that every intoxicant is forbidden. Yet Islam treats people who struggle with addiction with mercy, not contempt. ## On this page 1. A prohibition in stages 2. The streets of Medina 3. Every intoxicant 4. The wisdom: protecting the mind 5. Mercy for those who struggle 6. A closing thought In many cultures, drinking is woven into celebrations, business and friendship. So when people learn that most Muslims never touch alcohol at all, they often ask why. The answer says a lot about how Islam views the human mind — and about the wise, gentle way God guided the first Muslims. ## A prohibition in stages When Islam began, wine was a central part of Arabian life, celebrated in poetry and drunk at almost every gathering. Rather than forbidding it overnight, the [Qur’an](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/quran/) prepared hearts step by step. **First**, it acknowledged that wine and gambling bring some benefit but declared that their harm is greater: > ۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَآ إِثْمٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَآ أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ ٱلْعَفْوَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١٩﴾ > They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and \[yet, some\] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend. Say, "The excess \[beyond needs\]." Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses \[of revelation\] that you might give thought. [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:219](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=219&translations=20)Saheeh International **Second**, it told believers not to come to prayer while intoxicated (4:43). Since the five daily prayers are spread through the day, this left little room for drinking. **Finally**, it declared a complete prohibition: > يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْخَمْرُ وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ وَٱلْأَنصَابُ وَٱلْأَزْلَٰمُ رِجْسٌۭ مِّنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٩٠﴾ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ ﴿٩١﴾ > 90O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, \[sacrificing on\] stone alters \[to other than Allah\], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. 91Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist? [Qur'an, Al-Maaida 5:90-91](https://quran.com/5?startingVerse=90&translations=20)Saheeh International The Prophet’s wife Aisha later explained the wisdom of this gradual approach. Speaking of the order of revelation, she said: > …If the first thing to be revealed was: 'Do not drink alcoholic drinks.' people would have said, 'We will never leave alcoholic drinks,'… [Sahih al-Bukhari 4993](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/66#:~:text=order%20to%20compile%20and%20arrange)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) First, faith in God and the Hereafter took root; then the laws came, and people were ready to accept them. ## The streets of Medina The response of the early Muslims was remarkable. Anas ibn Malik, who was serving drinks at a gathering when the final prohibition was announced, recalled: > …Abu Talha ordered me to go out and spill the wine. I went out and spilled it, and it flowed in the streets of Medina.… [Sahih al-Bukhari 2464](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/46#:~:text=in%20those%20days%20drinks%20were)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) A whole community gave up a deeply rooted habit in a single day — not because of police, but because of faith. ## Every intoxicant The Qur’an uses the word *khamr*, which comes from a root meaning “to cover”. The Prophet ﷺ made clear that the rule is about the effect, not the particular drink: > Ibn 'Umar, through another chain of transmitters; reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said this:Every intoxicant is Khamr and every intoxicant is forbidden [Sahih Muslim 5219](https://sunnah.com/muslim/36#:~:text=intoxicant%20is%20Khamr%20and%20every)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih Muslim) On this basis, Muslim scholars agree that drugs which intoxicate — whether cannabis, cocaine, heroin or anything else used to get high — fall under the same prohibition. Medicines used under proper medical care are a different matter, and scholars discuss the details of medical use, small traces in food, and similar questions (see [where Muslims differ](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/where-muslims-differ/)). Trading in alcohol and serving it are also forbidden, because they help others into harm. ## The wisdom: protecting the mind The Qur’an names the reasons itself: intoxicants stir up hostility and hatred and turn people away from remembering God and from prayer. Islamic law counts the protection of the mind among its central goals, because the mind is what makes a person responsible before God (see [reason and faith](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/reason-and-faith/)). Anyone who has seen the effects of drunk driving, alcohol-fuelled violence or a family torn apart by addiction will recognise the harms the Qur’an warned about. The Bible, too, warns: *“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise”* (Proverbs 20:1, KJV). ## Mercy for those who struggle Islam’s firmness about alcohol never becomes contempt for people. In the Prophet’s time, a man was repeatedly punished for drinking, and someone cursed him. The Prophet ﷺ stopped him: > …Do not curse him, for by Allah, I know for he loves Allah and His Apostle… [Sahih al-Bukhari 6780](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/86#:~:text=and%20he%20used%20to%20make)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) This short scene teaches a great deal. The man had done wrong, and the law was applied — yet the Prophet ﷺ refused to let anyone strip him of his dignity or his place in the community. A person can be struggling with a sin and still love God. Muslims who battle addiction need support, treatment and encouragement, not shame. And for anyone who has drunk or used drugs in the past — including people who later embrace Islam — the door of repentance is wide open (see [are my past sins forgiven?](https://islamismercy.com/en/become-muslim/past-sins-forgiven/)). ## A closing thought The prohibition of alcohol and drugs is, at heart, an act of care: for the mind God gave us, for the families who depend on us, and for societies that suffer when judgement is lost. To see how this fits with other food rules, read [halal food](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/halal-food/). ![Why Does Islam Forbid Alcohol and Drugs?](https://islamismercy.com/_astro/pork-and-alcohol-info.B5IJCp8Y_KaP5A.jpg) ## Key takeaways - The Qur'an prohibited alcohol in three stages, showing God's wisdom and gentleness. - Every intoxicant is forbidden — the principle covers intoxicating drugs as well. - The aim is to protect the mind, health, families and society. - People struggling with addiction deserve compassion and help, and repentance is always open. ## Share this article [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Why%20Does%20Islam%20Forbid%20Alcohol%20and%20Drugs%3F%20https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Falcohol-and-drugs%2F)[Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Falcohol-and-drugs%2F&text=Why%20Does%20Islam%20Forbid%20Alcohol%20and%20Drugs%3F)[X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20Does%20Islam%20Forbid%20Alcohol%20and%20Drugs%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Falcohol-and-drugs%2F)[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Falcohol-and-drugs%2F) ## Sources - [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:219](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=219&translations=20) - [Qur'an, Al-Maaida 5:90-91](https://quran.com/5?startingVerse=90&translations=20) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 4993](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/66#:~:text=order%20to%20compile%20and%20arrange) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 2464](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/46#:~:text=in%20those%20days%20drinks%20were) - [Sahih Muslim 5219](https://sunnah.com/muslim/36#:~:text=intoxicant%20is%20Khamr%20and%20every) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 6780](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/86#:~:text=and%20he%20used%20to%20make) ## Talk to a Muslim Have a question that isn't answered here? Ask a real person — no pressure, no judgement. [Ask your question](https://islamismercy.com/en/talk/) ## Keep reading [Islam's View On… ### Does Islam Ask for Blind Faith? Islam invites people to think, reflect and ask for evidence. Reason leads to faith, and revelation then teaches what reason alone cannot reach. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/reason-and-faith/)[Islam's View On… ### What Is Halal Food and Why Do Muslims Eat It? Halal food is food God has made lawful. Most food is halal; Islam forbids only a few things, like pork, blood and alcohol, and asks for mercy in slaughter. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/halal-food/)[Hard Questions ### Why Don't Muslims Eat Pork or Drink Alcohol? Why Islam forbids pork and alcohol, what the Qur'an actually says, the exception for necessity, and how Muslims understand the wisdom behind it. 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