“Whatever Intoxicates is Forbidden, and a Little of It is Forbidden too.” An Applied Jurisprudential Study

Abstract

This research deals with the hadith of the Prophet (may peace be upon him), who said: “Whatever intoxicates is forbidden, and a little of it is forbidden too”. The research first begins with the definition of an intoxicant substance and reviews the evidence for its prohibition from the Qur’an, sunnah and consensus. The second section of this research gives a brief review of the hadith including its transmission as well as its interpretation. The third section discusses the most important jurisprudential issues related to the hadith, such as the rulings on the consumption of a small amount of an intoxicating substance and the limits of its use for medication. The major findings suggest that every intoxicant is prohibited as proved by the Qur’an, the Sunnah and consensus.