Is smoking haram?

Why the scholars forbid it

The scholars do not rest this on a single text naming tobacco, because tobacco did not exist in the Prophet's ﷺ lifetime. Instead they apply the general principles of the Shari'ah, which they hold cover every new case until the Day of Judgement. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen makes this reasoning explicit: the Shari'ah has broad rules into which particular matters enter, and when we look at the texts they require smoking to be forbidden.

The evidence they cite falls into two streams — what the Revelation says, and what harm the thing itself does.

The Qur'anic texts. The Permanent Committee and IslamWeb both cite the description of the Prophet ﷺ in Surah al-A'raf:

"And he makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil things"— Qur'an 7:157

Their argument is that tobacco is plainly among the khaba'ith (the foul, harmful things), and Allah has forbidden every foul and every harmful thing. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen adds three further verses: the prohibition on handing wealth to the foolish (4:5), the prohibition on killing oneself (4:29), and the prohibition on casting oneself into destruction (2:195). Smoking, he argues, wastes wealth, causes fatal disease, and throws a person into harm — so it falls under all three.

The Prophetic texts. The scholars cite the principle

"no harm and no reciprocating harm" (Sahih Ibn Majah 2341)

and the Prophet's ﷺ prohibition on wasting wealth (Sahih al-Bukhari 2408). Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen notes that a smoker will spend a dirham on a cigarette before buying food for himself and his family — that is waste, and the Prophet ﷺ forbade it.

The harm itself. IslamWeb records that doctors testify smoking causes nine of every ten cases of lung cancer, and contributes to heart disease, stroke, emphysema and bronchitis. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen adds that it burdens acts of worship — a smoker finds prayer and fasting heavy — and that the smell harms those around him.

What the ruling covers

The scholars are explicit that this is not limited to cigarettes:

• All forms of smoking: Shaykh Ibn Baz states that "every type of it is forbidden," and IslamWeb applies the same ruling to the water pipe (shishah).
• Intoxicating substances: IslamWeb notes that the prohibition is stronger, and the sin greater, when what is smoked is a narcotic substance such as hashish or marijuana.
• The money earned from it: IslamWeb states that wealth gained from the tobacco trade takes the same ruling of prohibition.
• Sitting with smokers: Shaykh Ibn Baz advises the Muslim to leave it, beware of it, and not sit with those who do it.

If you are already smoking

The scholars treat this as a sin requiring repentance, not as an unbreakable habit. IslamWeb is direct: a person is not excused on the grounds that he cannot stop, because stopping is ordinarily possible and many people have done it — it needs firm resolve. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen describes what that resolve requires: sincere determination, genuine repentance, turning to Allah and seeking His help, and keeping away from other smokers — not sitting with them or walking with them — along with patience, even when one's chest feels tight.

IslamWeb adds that the one who repents of a sin is like one who has no sin.

Key takeaways

• Smoking is haram according to Shaykh Ibn Baz, the Permanent Committee, Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen and IslamWeb — not merely disliked.
• Every form is included: cigarettes, the water pipe, and narcotic substances, which are more severely forbidden still.
• The reasoning is the general principles of the Shari'ah — the prohibition of the foul and the harmful, of self-destruction, and of wasting wealth — not a text naming tobacco.
• Leaving it is treated as possible and requires sincere resolve, repentance, and distance from those who smoke.
• Wealth earned through tobacco carries the same ruling of prohibition.

Further reading

• Shaykh Ibn Baz, Majmu' al-Fatawa wa al-Maqalat
• Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, Fatawa Nur 'ala al-Darb

And Allah knows best.