Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Badat
Question:
Is hashish (marijuana) smoking haram (prohibited) or makruh (disliked)? Please give exact details because I have a lot of friends who smoke hashish/ marijuana but at the same time have the passion to perform prayers. We would like to know if hashish is ḥaram or makruh and can we pray after we have smoked?
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
What is Marijuana/ Hashish?
Hashish is considered a harmful drug. According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, hashish is described as follows:
“Cannabis is somewhat like tobacco—a greenish or brownish substance that’s made by drying the flowering, fruiting tops and leaves of the plant Cannabis Sativa. Cannabis is known by many names including: marijuana, weed, hash—and others. Cannabis is often smoked as a “joint” or by using a water pipe or “bong” (where the smoke is drawn through water before inhaling it to cool it and filter out small particles)” (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse).
According to CCSA:
“A growing body of research evidence suggests that using cannabis could negatively affect different aspects of people’s lives, including:
- Mental and physical health
- Cognitive functioning (skills such as memory, attention span and psychomotor speed)
- Ability to drive a motor vehicle
- Health and development of children born to those who use cannabis.”
Islamic Ruling on Marijuana
Hence the use of such a substance that is detrimental to one’s health is considered haram (prohibited) or in the least makruh taḥrimi (prohibitively disliked, meaning very close to haram) by majority jurists, especially when such substances are used in vain or leisure.
Imam al Dhahabi, Ibn Ḥajar al Asqalani and Ibn Taymiyah have declared the use of hashish as haram. Imam Ibn Ḥajar al Haythami mentions that smoking hashish is haram according to all four schools of Islamic jurisprudence. (See Fatawa wa Rasail)
“Do not put yourselves into destruction, and do good. Of course, Allah loves those who do good”
(Qur’an 2:195)
“Every intoxicant is khamr (wine) and every khamr is ḥaram (prohibited)”
(Sahih Muslim)
Prayer is not valid while one is in a state of intoxication or impurity. If one has used a prohibited substance, they should purify themselves and be out of the intoxication, prior to the ritual prayer.
Medical Marijuana
Using marijuana for medical purposes is only permitted if there is no other islamicaly permissible alternative medication to treat the ailment. In general circumstances, it is forbidden to use marijuana for medicine. The Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) said,
“Allah has not placed your cure in prohibited things”
(Bukhari)
However, in the situation, where there is genuinely no halal alternative, it is permissible to benefit from such medical marijuana up to the extent of the need. Medical experts must have prescribed it, when nothing else is useful for the treatment. A well-known principle in Islamic jurisprudence is “Dire necessities permit the prohibited’. Sanctity and the saving of one’s life overrides the prohibition. This is why eating pork becomes permissible if there is no other food one can find.
Allah Almighty states,
“He has spelled out to you all that He has made unlawful for you, except that to which you are compelled by extreme necessity. Surely, there are many who misguide people on the basis of their desires without having knowledge. Surely, your Lord is the best Knower of those who cross the limits.”
(Qurʿan 6:119)
The intellectual giant, Sh. Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi (may Allah’s mercy be with him) also indicates this ruling in his famous manual, ‘Bahishti Zewar’ – Heavenly Ornaments.
May Allah keep us pure, healthy and away from all harmful substances through His infinite mercy.
And Allah Knows Best.
