Fatwa ID: 03586

Answered by: Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh

Question

If someone smoked weed or had alcohol in their body, is it permissible to pray salah in this state?

This aayah …لا تقربوا الصلوة وانتم is mansookh, right?

Smoking and drinking are for sure, disallowed, but would one be able to pray if one is half-drunk or high?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

You should know that intoxicants are Harām inside or outside of Salāh and there is no exception to this. Allāh said:

“O you who believe! Intoxicant (Khamr) and games of chance and idols and divining of arrows are an abomination of Shaitan's (Satan) handiwork. So, avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.” (Surah al-Ma’idah:5)

The Messenger of Allāh (May the Peace and Blessings of Allāh be upon him) said:

“Every intoxicant is khamr, and every intoxicant is Harām. Whoever drinks khamr in this world and dies persisting in that and without having repented, will not drink it in the Hereafter.” (Reported by Muslim)

The scholars have explained that drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and the like are included in the prohibited category of Khamr.

A person cannot offer prayer after consuming an intoxicating substance. The verse you referred to in your question is abrogated. Imām Ibn Kathīr

explains that this was before verse 90 of Surāh Ma’idah, which completely prohibits the consumption of Khamr, was revealed.[1] Therefore, it cannot be argued that the consumption of intoxicants in small quantity or outside of prayer times is permissible.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-‘Azīm, vol.2 p.308