Chapter on the Legal Punishment for Drinking Alcohol and Reports Regarding Singing and Amusements

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 11

Chapter on the Legal Punishment for Drinking Alcohol and Reports Regarding Singing and Amusements

10 hadiths · 4 commentaries

رَوَى اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: "لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً دَخَلَ فِي اَلْإِسْلاَمِ فَأَقَرَّ بِهِ ثُمَّ شَرِبَ اَلْخَمْرَ وَ زَنَى وَ أَكَلَ اَلرِّبَا وَ لَمْ يَتَبَيَّنْ لَهُ شَيْءٌ مِنَ اَلْحَلاَلِ وَ اَلْحَرَامِ لَمْ أُقِمْ عَلَيْهِ اَلْحَدَّ إِذَا كَانَ جَاهِلاً إِلاَّ أَنْ تَقُومَ عَلَيْهِ اَلْبَيِّنَةُ أَنَّهُ قَرَأَ اَلسُّورَةَ اَلَّتِي فِيهَا اَلزِّنَا وَ اَلْخَمْرُ وَ أَكْلُ اَلرِّبَا وَ إِذَا جَهِلَ ذَلِكَ أَعْلَمْتُهُ وَ أَخْبَرْتُهُ فَإِنْ رَكِبَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ جَلَدْتُهُ وَ أَقَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ اَلْحَدَّ".

Al-Halabi narrated from Abu Abdullah who said: "If a man entered Islam, acknowledged it, and then drank alcohol, committed adultery, and consumed usury, without having any knowledge of what is lawful and unlawful, I would not administer the legal punishment upon him if he was ignorant - unless there was evidence that he had recited the Surah in which adultery, alcohol, and usury are mentioned. If he was unaware of that, I would inform and educate him. But if he committed those acts after that, I would flog him and enforce the legal punishment upon him."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #2

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ يَرْفَعُهُ: أَنَّ أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أُتِيَ بِالنَّجَاشِيِّ اَلْحَارِثِيِّ اَلشَّاعِرِ قَدْ شَرِبَ اَلْخَمْرَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَضَرَبَهُ ثَمَانِينَ ثُمَّ حَبَسَهُ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ دَعَا بِهِ مِنَ اَلْغَدِ فَضَرَبَهُ عِشْرِينَ سَوْطاً فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ضَرَبْتَنِي ثَمَانِينَ سَوْطاً فِي شُرْبِ اَلْخَمْرِ فَهَذِهِ اَلْعِشْرُونَ مَا هِيَ فَقَالَ "هَذَا لِجُرْأَتِكَ عَلَى شُرْبِ اَلْخَمْرِ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ ".

In the narration of Amr ibn Shimr from Jabir, who attributed it to the Prophet: Commander of the Faithful was presented with Al-Najashi Al-Harithiyy, the poet, who had consumed alcohol during the month of Ramadan. Imam flogged him eighty lashes, then imprisoned him for a night. The next day, Imam summoned him and flogged him with twenty more lashes. Al-Najashi said: "O' Commander of the Faithful , you already flogged me eighty lashes for drinking alcohol. What are these additional twenty for?" Imam replied: "These are for your audacity in drinking alcohol during the month of Ramadan."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #1

وَ إِذَا شَرِبَ الرَّجُلُ الْخَمْرَ أَوِ النَّبِيذَ الْمُسْكِرَ جُلِدَ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً وَ كُلُّ مَا أَسْكَرَ كَثِيرُهُ فَقَلِيلُهُ وَ كَثِيرُهُ حَرَامٌ وَ الْفُقَّاعُ بِتِلْكَ الْمَنْزِلَةِ وَ شَارِبُ الْمُسْكِرِ خَمْراً كَانَ أَوْ نَبِيذاً يُجْلَدُ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً فَإِنْ عَادَ جُلِدَ فَإِنْ عَادَ قُتِلَ وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ أَنَّهُ يُقْتَلُ فِي الرَّابِعَةِ وَ الْعَبْدُ إِذَا شَرِبَ مُسْكِراً جُلِدَ أَرْبَعِينَ جَلْدَةً وَ يُقْتَلُ فِي الثَّامِنَةِ وَ قَالَ أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي رِسَالَتِهِ إِلَيَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَصْلَ الْخَمْرِ مِنَ الْكَرْمِ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُ النَّارُ أَوْ غَلَى مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَمَسَّهُ النَّارُ فَيَصِيرَ أَسْفَلُهُ أَعْلَاهُ فَهُوَ خَمْرٌ وَ لَا يَحِلُّ شُرْبُهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَذْهَبَ ثُلُثَاهُ وَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُهُ فَإِنْ نَشَّ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَمَسَّهُ النَّارُ فَدَعْهُ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ خَلًّا مِنْ ذَاتِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تُلْقِيَ فِيهِ شَيْئاً فَإِذَا صَارَ خَلًّا مِنْ ذَاتِهِ حَلَّ أَكْلُهُ فَإِنْ تَغَيَّرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَ صَارَ خَمْراً فَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ تُلْقِيَ فِيهِ مِلْحاً أَوْ غَيْرَهُ وَ إِنْ صُبَّ فِي الْخَلِّ خَمْرٌ لَمْ يَجُزْ أَكْلُهُ حَتَّى يُعْزَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْخَمْرِ فِي إِنَاءٍ وَ يُصْبَرَ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ خَلًّا فَإِذَا صَارَ خَلًّا أُكِلَ ذَلِكَ الْخَلُّ الَّذِي صُبَّ فِيهِ الْخَمْرُ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى حَرَّمَ الْخَمْرَ بِعَيْنِهَا وَ حَرَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص كُلَّ شَرَابٍ مُسْكِرٍ وَ لَعَنَ الْخَمْرَ وَ غَارِسَهَا وَ حَارِسَهَا وَ حَامِلَهَا وَ الْمَحْمُولَةَ إِلَيْهِ وَ بَائِعَهَا وَ مُشْتَرِيَهَا وَ آكِلَ ثَمَنِهَا وَ عَاصِرَهَا وَ سَاقِيَهَا وَ شَارِبَهَا وَ لَهَا خَمْسَةُ أَسَامِي الْعَصِيرُ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الْكَرْمِ وَ النَّقِيعُ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الزَّبِيبِ وَ الْبِتْعُ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الْعَسَلِ وَ الْمِزْرُ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الشَّعِيرِ وَ النَّبِيذُ وَ هُوَ مِنَ التَّمْرِ وَ الْخَمْرُ مِفْتَاحُ كُلِّ شَرٍّ وَ شَارِبُهَا كَعَابِدِ وَثَنٍ وَ مَنْ شَرِبَهَا حُبِسَتْ صَلَاتُهُ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً فَإِنْ تَابَ فِي الْأَرْبَعِينَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ تَوْبَتُهُ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ فِيهَا دَخَلَ النَّارَ.

If a man drinks wine or any intoxicating nabidh (fermented drink), he is to be flogged eighty lashes. Anything that intoxicates in large quantities is prohibited in both small and large amounts, and fuqqa (a type of frothy drink) holds the same ruling. A person who drinks any intoxicant, whether wine or nabidh, is to be flogged eighty lashes. If he repeats the act, he is flogged again, and if he repeats it a third time, he is executed. It has also been narrated that execution occurs on the fourth offense. If a slave drinks an intoxicant, he is to be flogged forty lashes and executed on the eighth offense. My father, may Allah be pleased with him, said in his letter to me: 'Know that the origin of wine is from grapes. If it is exposed to fire or boils without being touched by fire until its bottom becomes its top, it becomes wine and is prohibited to drink unless two-thirds evaporate and one-third remains. If it ferments without being heated, leave it until it naturally turns into vinegar without adding anything to it. Once it becomes vinegar on its own, it is permissible to consume. If it changes afterward and becomes wine, there is no harm in adding salt or other substances to it. However, if wine is poured into vinegar, it is not permissible to consume until it is separated, placed in a container, and left to turn into vinegar. Once it becomes vinegar, it is permissible to eat the vinegar into which wine was poured. Allah , the Blessed and Exalted, has prohibited wine itself, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) has forbidden every intoxicating drink. He cursed wine, its planter, its guardian, its carrier, the one to whom it is carried, its seller, its buyer, the one who consumes its price, the one who presses it, the one who serves it, and the one who drinks it. Wine has five names: Al-'Aseer (the juice), which is made from grapes; Al-Naqi', which is made from raisins; Al-Bit', which is made from honey; Al-Mizr, which is made from barley; and Al-Nabidh, which is made from dates. Wine is the key to every evil, and the one who drinks it is like an idol worshipper. Whoever drinks it will have their prayers suspended for forty days. If they repent within those forty days, their repentance will not be accepted, and if they die during that period, they will enter the Fire.

Hadith #3

وَ قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "لاَ تُجَالِسُوا شُرَّابَ اَلْخَمْرِ فَإِنَّ اَللَّعْنَةَ إِذَا نَزَلَتْ عَمَّتْ مَنْ فِي اَلْمَجْلِسِ".

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq said: "Do not sit with those who drink wine, for when the curse descends, it encompasses everyone present in the gathering."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #2

وَ لَا تَجُوزُ الصَّلَاةُ فِي بَيْتٍ فِيهِ خَمْرٌ مَحْصُورٌ فِي آنِيَةٍ وَ لَا بَأْسَ بِالصَّلَاةِ فِي ثَوْبٍ أَصَابَتْهُ خَمْرٌ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَرَّمَ شُرْبَهَا وَ لَمْ يُحَرِّمِ الصَّلَاةَ فِي ثَوْبٍ أَصَابَتْهُ.

It is not permissible to perform prayer in a house where wine is stored in containers. However, there is no harm in praying in a garment that has been touched by wine because Allah , the Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden its consumption but has not prohibited praying in a garment that has been affected by it.

Hadith #4

وَ قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "شَارِبُ اَلْخَمْرِ إِنْ مَرِضَ فَلاَ تَعُودُوهُ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ فَلاَ تَشْهَدُوهُ وَ إِنْ شَهِدَ فَلاَ تُزَكُّوهُ وَ إِنْ خَطَبَ إِلَيْكُمْ فَلاَ تُزَوِّجُوهُ فَإِنَّ مَنْ زَوَّجَ اِبْنَتَهُ شَارِبَ اَلْخَمْرِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَادَهَا إِلَى اَلزِّنَا وَ مَنْ زَوَّجَ اِبْنَتَهُ مُخَالِفاً لَهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ فَقَدْ قَطَعَ رَحِمَهَا وَ مَنِ اِئْتَمَنَ شَارِبَ اَلْخَمْرِ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عَلَى اَللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى ضَمَانٌ".

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq said: "If a wine drinker falls ill, do not visit him; if he dies, do not attend his funeral; if he testifies, do not accept his testimony; and if he seeks marriage from you, do not marry him off. Whoever marries his daughter to a wine drinker, it is as if he has led her to adultery. And whoever marries his daughter to someone who opposes his faith has severed her family ties. Whoever entrusts a wine drinker with something has no guarantee from Allah , the Blessed and Exalted."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #5

وَ قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "خَمْسَةٌ مِنْ خَمْسَةٍ مُحَالٌ اَلْحُرْمَةُ مِنَ اَلْفَاسِقِ مُحَالٌ وَ اَلشَّفَقَةُ مِنَ اَلْعَدُوِّ مُحَالٌ وَ اَلنَّصِيحَةُ مِنَ اَلْحَاسِدِ مُحَالٌ وَ اَلْوَفَاءُ مِنَ اَلْمَرْأَةِ مُحَالٌ وَ اَلْهَيْبَةُ مِنَ اَلْفَقِيرِ مُحَالٌ".

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq said: "Five things from five are impossible: Honor from a transgressor is impossible, compassion from an enemy is impossible, sincere advice from a jealous person is impossible, loyalty from a woman is impossible, and awe from a poor person is impossible."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #3

وَ الْغِنَاءُ مِمَّا أَوْعَدَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّارَ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَ يَتَّخِذَها هُزُواً أُولئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ مُهِينٌ.

And singing (ghinaʾ) is among the acts for which Allah , the Mighty and Majestic, has promised the Hellfire. This is in reference to His saying, the Mighty and Majestic: "And among the people is he who buys idle talk to mislead others from the way of Allah without knowledge and takes it in mockery. For them is a humiliating punishment." (Surah Luqman 31:6)

Hadith #6

وَ سُئِلَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَاجْتَنِبُوا اَلرِّجْسَ مِنَ اَلْأَوْثٰانِ وَ اِجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ اَلزُّورِ قَالَ "اَلرِّجْسُ مِنَ اَلْأَوْثَانِ اَلشِّطْرَنْجُ وَ قَوْلُ اَلزُّورِ اَلْغِنَاءُ وَ اَلنَّرْدُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ اَلشِّطْرَنْجِ فَأَمَّا اَلشِّطْرَنْجُ فَإِنَّ اِتِّخَاذَهَا كُفْرٌ وَ اَللَّعِبَ بِهَا شِرْكٌ وَ تَعْلِيمَهَا كَبِيرَةٌ مُوبِقَةٌ وَ اَلسَّلاَمَ عَلَى اَللاَّهِي بِهَا مَعْصِيَةٌ وَ مُقَلِّبَهَا كَمُقَلِّبِ لَحْمِ اَلْخِنْزِيرِ وَ اَلنَّاظِرَ إِلَيْهَا كَالنَّاظِرِ إِلَى فَرْجِ أُمِّهِ وَ اَللاَّعِبَ بِالنَّرْدِ قِمَاراً مَثَلُهُ مَثَلُ مَنْ يَأْكُلُ لَحْمَ اَلْخِنْزِيرِ وَ مَثَلَ اَلَّذِي يَلْعَبُ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ قِمَارٍ مَثَلُ مَنْ يَضَعُ يَدَهُ فِي لَحْمِ اَلْخِنْزِيرِ أَوْ فِي دَمِهِ وَ لاَ يَجُوزُ اَللَّعِبُ بِالْخَوَاتِيمِ وَ اَلْأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ وَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ وَ أَشْبَاهُهُ قِمَارٌ حَتَّى لَعِبُ اَلصِّبْيَانِ بِالْجَوْزِ هُوَ اَلْقِمَارُ وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ اَلضَّرْبَ بِالصَّوَانِيجِ فَإِنَّ اَلشَّيْطَانَ يَرْكُضُ مَعَكَ وَ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةَ تَنْفِرُ عَنْكَ وَ مَنْ بَقِيَ فِي بَيْتِهِ طُنْبُورٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً "فَقَدْ بٰاءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اَللّٰهِ" عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ".

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq was asked about the saying of Allah , the Mighty and Majestic: "So avoid the filth of idols and avoid false speech." (Surah Al-Hajj 22:30) Imam said: "The filth of idols refers to chess, and false speech refers to singing. And backgammon (nard) is worse than chess. As for chess, adopting it is disbelief, playing it is polytheism, teaching it is a grave and destructive sin, greeting someone engaged in it is disobedience, and touching its pieces is like touching the flesh of swine. Looking at it is like looking at the private parts of one's mother. The one who plays backgammon with gambling is like one who eats the flesh of swine, and the one who plays it without gambling is like one who places his hand in the flesh or blood of swine. It is not permissible to play with rings, the fourteen stones, and similar games, as all of them are forms of gambling, even if children play with nuts, it is considered gambling. Beware of striking the stones together (a form of entertainment), for indeed, Satan runs along with you, and the angels flee from you. And whoever keeps a tambourine in his house for forty days "has incurred the wrath of Allah , the Mighty and Majestic."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #7

وَ قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "إِنَّ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةَ لَتَنْفِرُ عِنْدَ اَلرِّهَانِ وَ تَلْعَنُ صَاحِبَهُ مَا خَلاَ اَلْحَافِرَ وَ اَلْخُفَّ وَ اَلرِّيشَ وَ اَلنَّصْلَ وَ قَدْ سَابَقَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ وَ أَجْرَى اَلْخَيْلَ ".

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq said: "Indeed, the angels withdraw from gatherings where gambling occurs and curse the one involved in it, except in the case of betting on hoofed animals, animals with padded feet, feathered birds, and arrows. And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) himself raced with Usamah ibn Zayd and conducted horse races."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #8

فَرُوِيَ: "أَنَّ نَاقَةَ اَلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ سُبِقَتْ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "إِنَّهَا بَغَتْ وَ قَالَتْ فَوْقِي رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ حَقٌّ عَلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ لاَ يَبْغِيَ شَيْءٌ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ أَذَلَّهُ اَللَّهُ وَ لَوْ أَنَّ جَبَلاً بَغَى عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَهَدَّ اَللَّهُ اَلْبَاغِيَ مِنْهُمَا" ".

It has been narrated that the she-camel of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), was outrun in a race. So Prophet , peace be upon him and his family, said: "It (camel) transgressed and said to itself, 'Upon me is the Messenger of Allah , peace and blessings be upon him and his family.' And it is a right upon Allah , the Mighty and Majestic, that nothing transgresses against anything except that He humiliates it. And if a mountain were to transgress against another mountain, Allah would destroy the transgressing one among them."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #9

وَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ عَنْ تَحْرِيشِ اَلْبَهَائِمِ مَا خَلاَ اَلْكِلاَبَ.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) forbade inciting animals against one another, except in the case of dogs.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #10

وَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ عَلِيَّ بْنَ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ شِرَاءِ جَارِيَةٍ لَهَا صَوْتٌ فَقَالَ "مَا عَلَيْكَ لَوِ اِشْتَرَيْتَهَا فَذَكَّرَتْكَ اَلْجَنَّةَ ".

A man asked Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain about purchasing a bondwoman with a beautiful voice. Imam said: "There is no harm upon you if you buy her and she reminds you of Paradise."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #4

يَعْنِي بِقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ الزُّهْدِ وَ الْفَضَائِلِ الَّتِي لَيْسَتْ بِغِنَاءٍ فَأَمَّا الْغِنَاءُ فَمَحْظُورٌ.

This means through the recitation of the Quran, asceticism, and virtuous speech that is not considered singing. As for singing (ghinaʾ), it is strictly prohibited.