Impurities

Dear brothers and sisters, Allah SWT does not prohibit anything without reason. Of course, should Allah SWT prohibit anything, then who are we as His slaves to question it?

But the point here is that for the scholars throughout the ages, the scientists studying the laws of our faith, it becomes evident that what has been prohibited is impure to us, our outcome and our well-being. There is, in fact, worldly reasons to back up the divine law. A case in point is one that the khutba expanded upon and that was the topic of Alcohol.

Allah SWT refers to the topic of intoxicants in the Quran in Sura Maidah, ayat 90-91 which says:

O 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.

Satan 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?

Dear brothers and sisters, firstly, the word alcohol isn’t mentioned. The word mentioned is Khamr. Khamr is translated as that which intoxicates. This can be in any form. That means drinking, eating, snorting, injecting and smoking.

So, in this country we have a definition of intoxicant as something which intoxicates. Intoxicates is to diminish physical or mental control temporarily.

The Prophet SAWS also mentions this in a hadith:

Khamr is that which befogs the mind

So despite the popular culture of this country saying that Alcohol is ok is small amounts or smoking weed is not as bad as other drugs, our Prophet SAWS removed this ambiguity for us.

Secondly, this is an impurity. How do we know this? Because in that ayat mentions the word Rijsun. This is translated best as filth, abomination, evil and of course, impure.

Dear brothers and sisters, in order to be able to tackle the problem of our society, we ought to be able to address all the whisperings that make people hooked on these works of Satan.

But as we know, one can become dependent upon these things so how does one tackle that? The first step is obtaining control of the mind. And that comes about by confirming through the Quran and the Hadith that there is no grey area for drinks or drugs. They are impure and thus prohibited.

But earlier it was mentioned that impure things are detrimental in this life as well as the next. Does it apply here? How did the first ayat end? It ended with “so avoid it so that you may be successful”

Think about that. Allah SWT is telling you that there is a direct correlation between intoxicants and success. Engage in one and you will not experience the other. We see that in our society and on our media. Even the famous have their so-called drink demons that they fight. They also check into rehab clinics. Some commit suicide. Despite the fame and fortune, is that a success?

So let’s discuss success. Forget the fact that drink and drugs causes the mind to become lazy and directly affects your success. The question is: what is it to be successful? Money, love, children, health? Success can be different things to different people but inevitably success is happiness.

To be successful is to be happy with life. It doesn’t get measured in money, things or people around you. It how those things make you feel. Success is that feeling that the world is shining on you and you feel on top of the world.

Dear brothers & sisters, these ayats are a true miracle for those who analyse. Drink and drugs make you feel on top of the world. Let’s not dismiss that. This is fact otherwise why would people do it?

The difference is though that the happiness from intoxicants is temporary. That was mentioned in the definition earlier. Ask those who drink and do drugs and they will tell you that the so-called “come down” is so severe at times that it makes people a danger to themselves and others.

And hence more drink is needed, more drugs are needed, a bigger high is needed. The individual becomes more and more reliant on the intoxicant as time progresses in order to keep feeling happy. Alternatively they quit the intoxicant but feel depressed without it and yearn for that feeling again.

Allah SWT speak directly of this in these ayats and in His divine mercy, offers the solution directly afterwards! Allahu Akbar.

He says that Shaytaan only wants to keep you away from remembrance of Allah and prayer. Why was that mentioned straight after the ayat on success? It’s because, dear brothers and sisters, happiness is success and happiness comes from remembrance of Allah and through sincere prayer.

Subhanallah. That is some lesson. And it is truth. And it is a remedy for this society and this ill.

And lastly, the ayat ends “so will you not stop?”

You see, dear brothers and sisters, despite what you may hear, there is no intoxicant that cannot be overcome. The power to stop is within each and everyone suffering from this affliction. Allah SWT ends with the question directed at us because the control is within each and every one of us to stop. This is fact and what we believe as Muslims as this is what Allah SWT has told us in this ayat.

There is no mistaking the fact that impurities exist and affect our communities and societies. There is no mistaking the fact they are tough to overcome. But the start begins by understanding the deception of that happiness and the confirmation that it can be beaten through recognition, discussion, support and affirmative action.

May Allah SWT protect us from impurities. May Allah SWT enable us to overcome actions of impurity. And may Allah SWT reward us for our efforts in overcoming actions of impurity.

Ameen Walhamdullilahi Rabilalameen.