Quran Garden

What happens when someone stands to pray but cannot even understand the words they are saying?  This moment in early Islam led to a powerful revelation.  Join us for today's Tafsir as Allah teaches you how to tackle tough habits and addictions. 

Session 618

Chapter 4

Verse 43

You who believe, do not come anywhere near the prayer if you are intoxicated, not until you know what you are saying; nor if you are in a state of major ritual impurity- though you may pass through the mosque- not until you have bathed; if you are ill, on a journey, have relieved yourselves, or had intercourse, and cannot find any water, then find some clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it.  God is always ready to pardon and forgive.

(Chapter 4: Verse 43)

God moves us from the commandments -the prohibition of associating partners with Him, the warnings against spending wealth for show, the affirmation that He does not wrong anyone, and the reminder that we will all gather before Him on the Day of Judgment- to the subject of today's verse:  The one act of worship where you renew your loyalty to Him five times a day.  Prayer is such an important ritual that God wants you to turn to Him with the full gathering of your mind, your body, and your soul, so that nothing of you is absent or distracted.  He says,

You who believe, do not come anywhere near the prayer if you are intoxicated, not until you know what you are saying.

Note that Allah did not say: 'Do not pray while you are intoxicated' but "do not come anywhere near the prayer." This verse was one of the steps leading to the eventual prohibition of intoxicants, as the ban on alcohol and other substances had not yet been fully legislated.  The prohibition of intoxicants passed through stages.  Why not just prohibit them cold-turkey?  We answer that Islam came to address a nation that had lived for a long period without the guidance of heavenly prophets.  Their connection to divine revelation had grown weak and distant.  When it came to matters of faith and creed, Allah issued firm and decisive rulings, rather than a gradual or incremental approach.  Belief in the One God and the prohibition of associating partners with Him were absolute non-negotiable commands from day one; there was no gradual approach or leniency in this matter.

On the other hand, Islam addressed long-standing social habits in a gentler, step-by-step manner.  In His mercy, Allah chose a gradual approach because habits and addictions require patience and careful guidance to reach the ultimate goal.  An immediate ban can be difficult, especially when alcohol has become a dependency that most people could not abandon overnight.

God began the process with the following Aya,

And from the fruit of the date-palm and the grape-vine, you derive both intoxicants and wholesome provisions.  There is certainly a Sign in that for people who use their intellect.  (16:67)

Note that Allah mentioned 'intoxicants' without comment, but described 'provision' as 'wholesome.' This subtle omission suggests that once fruits, such as grapes and dates, and other healthy foods are fermented into intoxicants, they can no longer be described as wholesome.  While this Aya did not spell it out, we all know that the opposite of wholesome is toxic.  The verse is a great example of the difference between legislation and advice.  When you advise someone about a matter, you would often say: 'I will tell you the advantages and disadvantages, and then you are free to make up your mind.' We find another verse of advice about the harms of intoxicants in Surah Al-Baqarah,

They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, "There is great sin in both, and some benefit for people: the sin is greater than the benefit." (from 2:219)

Some people rightfully say, 'We reap so many economic benefits from alcohol and gambling; we earn a good living while our customers have fun and forget their troubles.' These are undeniable benefits, but Allah –the All-Knowledgeable- explains that the damages to families and societies far outweigh any benefit.  That is a fair assessment.  Both verses –the one in chapter 16 and the one in chapter 2- are advice and reminders of the harms of intoxicants; the final judgment was left to the believers at the time. 

The phrase "the sin is greater than the benefit" was another step in the gradual process of addressing and ultimately prohibiting intoxicants.  It is the best approach to tackle entrenched social and economic habits such as drinking and smoking because addictions are hard to break, and changing such habits always elicits emotional agitation.  Did Allah tell us what to do in the Ayat above?  No.  Because He wants to gently persuade the mind so the smart person can reach the ruling on his or her own.  Shouldn't the principle, 'the sin is greater than the benefit,' be the standard we use every day to choose between alternatives?  I hope that when you compare two options and recognize which one is better or less harmful, you choose it.

Some Muslims continued to drink, while others quit.  Then an incident occurred where one companion stood to pray and recited Surah al-K?fir?n.  He was drunk, his speech was slurred, and he misquoted the Quran.  He said: 'Say, O disbelievers, I worship what you worship;' while the verse states, "Say, O disbelievers, I worship not what you worship." Matters had now reached the core of faith where there is no wavering or compromise.  Allah revealed the following Aya,

You who believe, do not come anywhere near the prayer if you are intoxicated, not until you know what you are saying.  (from 4:43)

This, now, is a prohibition, a command, and an obligation not to be anywhere near prayers if your mind is messed up.  Allah says that if you drink, keep your distance from Me, because when you come to meet with Me in prayer, I want you to be fully present: mind, body, and spirit. 

The Salat Prayer is the well-known ritual of words and actions that begin with the takb?r and end with the tasl?m; this is prayer in the technical sense in Islam.  In language, prayer is simply supplication (du‘?').  The word "intoxicated" is translated from the Arabic "suk?r?," meaning a person who is drunk or in a state that veils the mind.  The root of the word is taken from "sukr," which is the dam that blocks a river.  People build dams to prevent water from flowing.  Likewise, when wine and other mind-altering substances are used, they prevent the proper flow of thought.  

As you know, the effects of alcohol and other substances remain in the body for hours after they are consumed.  Thus, when Allah commanded the companions to stay away from prayer while drunk, a Muslim waking up in the morning could no longer drink because he or she had to offer the Fajr morning prayer; they could not get drunk because soon would be the time for the Zuhr midday and Asr afternoon prayers.  So is the case for the Maghrib sunset and Isha night prayers.  This only left the person with nighttime to drink and get drunk.  In this manner, God made the time a believer abstains from alcohol longer than the time he or she drinks.  Another step toward prohibition was completed.

During this time, some differences and problems arose among the companions regarding intoxicants, prompting them to ask the Prophet Muhammad to clarify the matter.  God answered,

You who believe, intoxicants and gambling, idolatrous practices, and divining with arrows are repugnant acts- Satan's doing- shun them so that you may prosper.  With intoxicants and gambling, Satan seeks only to incite enmity and hatred among you, and to stop you remembering God and prayer.  Will you not give them up? (5:90-91)

The companions replied: We have ceased our Lord.