Those attending the World Cup 2022 in Qatar may be culture-shocked into learning that alcohol is banned in Muslim countries. Of course some exceptions do exist for foreigners and for Muslims who can find their own speak-easies. Plus there are always mocktails (we have recipes for 10 classic drinks in virgin format like Aperol Spritz and a French 75 here!) Better for your health and spirit.

Why don’t Muslims drink alcohol is an old question we’ve had on Green Prophet over the years. And we are happy to sum up why alcohol is taboo. Cannabis (even just in your blood) and extra-marital relations are also forbidden or taboo, as is gay sex in some Muslim countries. Breaking the law in Qatar, Kuwait (remember the gaydar test?), Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates can land you in jail indefinitely so don’t mess with the authorities if you are flying in for the World Cup. And when you are there you definitely don’t want to say negative things about the state. 

The political system of Qatar is a semi-constitutional monarchy with the as head of state and chief executive, and the prime minister as the head of government.

So what’s the story with alcohol and Qatar?

Just two days before the World Cup opener, the international host nation Qatar banned the sale of beer at stadiums in a very sudden decision.

Qatar is saying that they are happy to have fans come in from around the world, but they are asying, “respect our traditions”. Alcohol consumption in any amount, say some imams, is not allowed in Islam. While others say you are allowed to drink but not get drunk. Do note that some Muslims may consider anything with alcohol in it haram, or forbidden and that may include medicine, mouth wash or candies with brandy.

What does the Quran say about alcohol?

Drinking alcohol is considered haram by the Muslim holy book, the Quran, which states that alcohol is the “the work of Satan” and believers best avoid it. Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad back up these texts.

When Muslims consider their lifestyle and way to conduct themselves in the world, many choose to eat no foods or medicine with alcohol. Observant Muslims may choose to not work in a restaurant, stadium or mini-market selling alcohol. They may not use perfumes with alcohol or completely refrain from events like weddings and birthdays or work events where alcohol is being used.

There are about one billion Muslim-born people in the world and not all follow the edicts given to them. The level they can veer from traditions depends on their choices and countries where they live. According to a survey done by the Pew Research Group published in 2013, and which included 38,000 responses from 37 countries, one in 10 Muslims said they thought alcohol is morally okay. The countries that held strongest beliefs that alcohol is wrong included Thailand, Ghana, Malaysia, the Palestinian territories, Indonesia, Niger and Pakistan.

How alcohol is applied in Muslim countries

My friends from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates say they know where to buy alcohol if they need it. Or they drink mocktails. Regulations vary but if you are in Saudi Arabia, be warned as they outlaw it. You can be flogged and go to prison for drinking in the kingdom. This view might change as Saudi Arabia opens new hotels for westerners. 

Dubai is more relaxed about alcohol but cannabis not so much. You can find bars and nightclubs in Dubai and the emirate has found itself enjoying tax revenues from alcohol sales. Jordan which also has a significant Christian native population, allows alcohol, and same with nearby Israel. 

Alcohol is easy to come by in Egypt by about 80% of the people there think it’s morally wrong. 

Drinking alcohol in Qatar

Qatar is more like Saudi Arabia when it comes to alcohol. They follow an ultra-conservative form of Islam called Wahhabism which strictly limits buying, selling and consuming alcohol. Bad news for revelling soccer fans from Europe.

You can find alcohol in Qatar in bars and hotels and while concessions were made for it to be served at the World Cup, at stadiums and at fan zones in the evenings, the Qatar rulers showed an about face: it was announced that only non-alcoholic beer would be available at the stadiums, except for in the luxury hospitality areas where champagne, wine, whiskey and other alcohol is served. Consider that vast majority of ticket holders don’t have access to those areas.

Brazil banned it at their hosting season of the World Cup but not on religious grounds. They were worried fans would become too violent. With long lines and expensive price-tags, and violent after-effects, maybe we should celebrate less alcohol at sporting events. Just leave the vape pipes at home and save them for sporting events in Canada.

Want to know more about alcohol and Islam? Our guide on Muslims and alcohol is a very deep primer. Read it before you head to Qatar or invite your Muslim friends over for lunch.

The post Islam’s ban on alcohol and how it’s applied appeared first on Green Prophet.

It is a well known fact that Muslims don’t drink alcohol. It is haram or not halal, which means forbidden. Muslims don’t eat foods or consume drinks with any kind of alcohol or ethanol, they don’t wear perfumes containing alcoholic ingredients and they stay away from all forms of intoxicating substances. Muslims in Dubai also don’t tolerate medical cannabis of any form, even harmless CBD oil. 

This abstinence from drugs and alcohol is a command from God, the law maker for Muslims’ health and environment. But why else is alcohol, and drugs in general, haram in Islam? Is biofuel haram? According to one leader in Saudi Arabia it is. Let’s take a look.

Alcohol in Islam

Linguistically, khamr (خمر) the Arabic word for “wine”, is alcohol derived from grapes. This is what is prohibited by specific texts of the Quran (see 5:90). Therefore alcohol is categorically unlawful (haraam) and considered impure (najis). Consuming any amount is unlawful, even if it doesn’t create any drunken effects. This is opposite to Judaism which consecrates its Sabbath every Friday night using alcohol specifically made from grapes.

But when we go back to Islam, the Prophet Muhammad of Islam said, “Intoxicants are from these two trees,” while pointing to grapevines and date-palms. Alcohol derived from dates or raisins is also prohibited, again regardless of the amount consumed.

At first, a general warning in the Quran was given to forbid Muslims from attending prayers while in a drunken state (Quran, 4:43). Then a later verse was revealed to Prophet Muhammad which said that while specifically alcohol had some medicinal benefits, the negative effects of it outweighed the good (Quran, 2:219).

Finally, “intoxicants and gambling” were called “abominations of Satan’s handiwork,” which warned people with self-consciousness to not turn away from God and forget about prayer, and Muslims were ordered to abstain (Quran, 5:90-91).

The Prophet Muhammad also instructed his companions to avoid any intoxicating substances (paraphrased), “if it intoxicates in a large amount, it is forbidden even in a small amount.” For this reason, most observant Muslims avoid alcohol in any form, even small amounts that are sometimes used in cooking.

6 reasons why Muslims don’t drink alcohol

1. Alcohol and prayer do not mix

Prayer (salat) is a fundamental part of the Muslim lifestyle, an obligatory call to God five times a day. A ritual eco “wudhu” (woo-dhoo) is necessary before the prayer which involves a water saving ablution to spiritually connect to environment, health and creation. The presence of alcohol in the same room does not affect the prayer, according to Islamic scholars, but anyone who drinks alcohol cannot pray for a month, unless he or she repents. Another obligation to Muslims is the annual Hajj or Haj pilgrimage, at least once in their lifetime. 

2. It’s addictive

Even when the early Muslims recognised alcohol for its medicinal uses, Prophet Muhammad likened the drink to a “disease”, saying there is no cure in things that God has forbidden. Like the first puff of a cigarette, it is up to individual will-power to continue or stop drinking. Nonetheless, some Muslims seek alcohol treatment.

Read More: Can Muslims drink mocktails?

3. Liquor clouds the intellect

Khamr also describes how alcohol consumption makes it difficult to differentiate between right and wrong. Muslim faith is founded on the intellect, rational thought and good judgement. Anything that could jeopardise this behaviour is forbidden, and another reason why Muslims don’t drink.

4. It gives the wrong message to children

Sitting in a restaurant where alcohol is served is not the same as drinking it. This is why Islamic law has the flexibility to say if someone needs to sit in such a restaurant for a work meeting or because no other diners are available, he/she can, but should not sit at a table where alcohol is served.

Bars and environments where alcohol is served could lead to drinking and in the presence of children, it could teach them to explore drinking. Mature Muslim adults are role models and carry a message that you don’t have to drink to have a good time, to work or to socialise.

Classical and contemporary Islamic scholars have helped explain why an alcohol zone can be as bad as drinking itself,

“The difference between [prohibitions in environment] and [prohibitions related to the end goals] is that while both are forbidden, the former is considered lesser in weight because it is related to causes, whereas the latter is related to an actual forbidden act. Thus, sitting at the table, although not the same as drinking, could lead to it whereas drinking in itself is absolutely forbidden,” says Dr. Abdullah bin Bayyah from Suhaibwebb.

5. Alcohol makes one forget

Any intoxicating substance, whether it’s wine, beer, gin, whiskey or drugs, affects a person’s faculties and behaviour. The result is the same, and the Quran outlines that it is the intoxication-which makes one forgetful of God and prayer-that is harmful.

6. Alcohol can lead to crime

Think about the ridiculous things you might have done when drunk. Although a controversial statement, in Islam alcohol is viewed as the “key to every evil” (hadith), because of its close relation to creating or making criminal behaviour easier to commit. That isn’t an omission of the medicinal uses of alcohol, but to say that a prevention is better than a cure. Thus, the Quran explains, “in alcohol there is a great sin, and some benefits, but the sin outweighs its benefit.” (2:219).

Why Muslims don’t do drugs

All intoxicants were made haraam in Islam’s religious scripture at different times over a period of years. Over the years, the list of intoxicating substances has come to include more modern street drugs and the like. But some plants with intoxicating effects such as chewing khat in Yemen and cannabis have slipped into Islam. According to this site, the Muslim scholars are divided over khat, sometimes spelled ghat or gat:

“The three main positions on khat are that it is halal (permissible), makruh (detested or discouraged) or haraam (forbidden). It may be shown that each view has some support in the scholarly literature of Islam.

“Each was accepted by some members of the focus groups. Most of those who participated in the focus groups had a strong view on the correct position pursuant to Islam and this view influenced their decision to support or reject prohibition and to chew or not to chew khat.”

Islam prohibits the use of narcotics noting that “every intoxicant is haram (unlawful)”. Recreational drugs have become the social culture and despite religious prohibitions, Muslims are just as susceptible to cannabis (marijuana), hashish, and the supposedly herbal ‘hukkah‘ (a tobacco smoking pipe).

We suggest you speak to your local clerics about individual use because the use of these substances is not cut and dry. Nonetheless, this drug abuse is also haram, not to mention encouraging illegal drug trade and addiction.

Wine that’s halal?

Without side-sweeping the nutritional value to alcoholic beverages, we must accept that wine in particular is not completely “evil”. Wine contains coronary benefits and according to studies, decreases the risk of peptic ulcers.

Hippocrates recommended specific wines to disinfect wounds, and even the great Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir noted wine’s force for better digestion.

In the Quran is the promise of Paradise for people who conserve God’s laws on Earth and leave it as they found it, or better. This Paradise contains rivers of honey, milk and wine which does not intoxicate (see 47:15):

The description of the Paradise promised to the righteous is that in it are rivers of fresh water, rivers of milk that never changes in taste, rivers of wine delicious to drink, and rivers of pure honey. There they will ˹also˺ have all kinds of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord. ˹Can they be˺ like those who will stay in the Fire forever, left to drink boiling water that will tear apart their insides?

Some great entrepreneurs took this verse from the Quran as inspiration, leading to the production of halal approved wines such as Halal Champ Wine, and Australia’s Patritti Wines of Dover Gardens, which was accredited by the Islamic Council in 2003.

According to a more lenient school of thought in Islam, creams and deodorants containing alcohol are alright to use as it is invariably a synthetic alcohol and not wine (khamr). In Saudi Arabia though, even fuel containing ethanol is getting the haram boot.

A contemporary fatwa (Islamic ruling) classified non-wine alcohol as permitted in external uses such as perfumes and soaps so long as it’s not used in vain or for intoxicating purposes. However, the main consensus is to religiously avoid it.  

Buying and selling wine in Islam

For Muslims, when something is made haraam, this means that thing is harmful to one’s health and contribution to the community. That also means Muslims aren’t supposed to encourage others to consume in any haraam, irrespective of who they are.

Dealing with the alcohol trade comes under the haraam category. The Prophet Muhammad forbade people from all actions related to the wine industry, including pressing wine, drinking it, serving it, selling it or buying it. This severity is to stop the expansion of harm caused by alcohol.

And above all, drinking is a lifestyle choice for socialising and enjoying food, a lifestyle that Muslims simply do not indulge in. That said, if you want to try a alcoholic summer drink, here are 10 mocktails for Muslims.

More on Muslim health issues:

Khitan – Circumcision Is Healthy For Muslim Sexuality
Lifestyle Poor for Abu Dhabi Women’s Health, Pregnancies, Babies
Egyptians Question the Health of Their Tap Water
If It’s Not Organic, It’s Not Halal (4 Ethical Zabiha Principles)

Updated March, 2023

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