Nutmeg, the Well Known Spice, is an Intoxicant (Khamr)

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Compassionate, the All- Merciful…

Nutmeg ( جوزة الطيب ) is widely known to have intoxicating properties.

 …Nutmeg’s intoxicating properties have long been known in Europe… it has been a substitute for other substances that for one reason or another were unavailable or unaffordable. Thus prisoners, soldiers, seamen and struggling musicians were among its users… In 1946, before his conversion to Islam, Malcolm X used nutmeg whilst in jail when his supplies of marijuana ran out. In his autobiography he wrote: ‘I first got high in Charlestown [prison] on nutmeg. My cellmate was among at least a hundred nutmeg men who, for money or cigarettes, bought from kitchen worker inmates penny matchboxes full of stolen nutmeg. I grabbed a box as though it were a pound of heavy drugs. Stirred into a glass of cold water, a penny matchbox full of nutmeg had the kick of three or four reefers.’ When the authorities became aware of such uses of nutmeg it was removed from many prison kitchens.

Source: http://www.moodfoods.com/nutmeg/index.html (Accessed Dec. 25, 2008)

Ahmad ibn Hajr al-Haytamee (d.974), the soofee ash’aree, however an authority on the Fiqh (legal rulings) of ash-Shaafi’ee according to his later followers, seems to have the most detailed information on the topic. Thus, his words and research on the matter are important, and our scholars have Continue reading

Ibn Taymiyyah on Using Haraam Substances as Medical Treatments

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

MARIJUANA as a medical treatment?! REALLY?

Muslims, let us please go back to our scholars on such issues!

“Seeking medical cures from filthy (haraam) substances is proof of a sickness in the heart…”

What follows is a complete translation of a detailed answer given by Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [d.728] (may Allaah have Mercy on him) when he was asked about a patient whose doctors told him that the only (effective) medical treatment in his situation would be to consume intoxicants, canine (dog) meat, or even swine. He replied:

It is not permissible to use intoxicants and other filthy substances as medical treatments, based on what was reported by Waa’il ibn Hujr, [1] who said that Taariq ibn Suwayd al-Ju’fee [2] asked the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) about intoxicants, and he forbade him from using them. Taariq added, “But I only use them as medical treatments.” He (the Prophet) responded:

إنه ليس بدواء ولكنه داء
“It is not a treatment, however it is a disease (itself).” 

This (hadeeth) was collected by Imaams Ahmad and Muslim in his Saheeh. [3]

And on the authority of Aboo ad-Dardaa’, the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:

إن الله أنزل الدواء وأنزل الداء وجعل لكل داء دواء، فتداووا ولا تتداووا بحرام
“Verily Allaah has sent down illnesses, and He has sent down the cures. He has made (available) a cure for every illness, so take medical treatments, but do not treat illnesses with haraam (substances).”

This (hadeeth) was collected by Aboo Daawood. [4]

And Aboo Hurayrah said Continue reading

Differences Between “Khamr” and “Alcohol”

In the Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Ever Compassionate…

It is important to differentiate between “khamr” (intoxicants) and “alcohol”.*

The substance called “alcohol” is of three types:

1) That which is deadly, if you consume it you will die or become seriously ill.  This is considered “summ (poison) and it is permissible to buy, sell, transport, or use it, but not consume it.  You can use it when found in mouthwash, perfume, bug spray, etc., but not in foods or drinks.

2) That which intoxicates when consumed, a little of it or a lot, then it considered Khamr (intoxicant), and it is not permissible to buy, sell, transport, use, or consume.  The scholarly verdicts mentioned here and here refer to this category: khamr.

3) That which does not intoxicate no matter Continue reading