Smoking: Haram or Makrooh?

29-6-1999 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is smoking Haraam? Some people say smoking is makrooh, but I believe it is haraam, since it causes harm and damage to the body just like illegal drugs. I heard that smoking was declared haraam, but many people continue to believe it is makrooh.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

When smoking first appeared, the jurists may Allaah have mercy upon them differed in opinion on its ruling. The reason of this difference of opinion is that some jurists may Allaah have mercy upon them are of the view that smoking is not harmful to the body and they allowed it, whereas some others are of the view that it harms the body, so they prohibited it.

However, now it is medically proven without any doubt that smoking is harmful to the body. Therefore no one should differ about its prohibition, especially that it is considered as a slow killing for the person due to the fatal diseases which it causes. The general rule among the scholars  is that every thing which is believed that it most likely causes harm is forbidden in Islam.

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net