Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
By "becoming intoxicated" is meant drinking wine.
In reality, being intoxicated is not a condition, as is mentioned in many other ahadith.
If merely the act of drinking wine is established, then the prescribed punishment (hadd) will be applied. The scholars of the Hanafi school are unique in this issue; according to them, whether one drinks a small or large amount of grape wine, it is forbidden and liable to the prescribed punishment (hadd).
However, regarding wines made from things other than grapes, if one drinks enough to become intoxicated, then it is forbidden and the prescribed punishment (hadd) will be applied.
Nevertheless, according to them, it is permissible to drink such wines in an amount that does not cause intoxication.
None of the other imams have supported their view; rather, any intoxicant, regardless of its type, whether in small or large quantity, is entirely forbidden and liable to the prescribed punishment (hadd).
Becoming intoxicated is not a condition. Furthermore, in the ahadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has said: (Whatever intoxicates in large amounts, its small amount is also forbidden.) (: Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Ashribah, Hadith: 3681)
Therefore, every intoxicating substance, regardless of its type, whether in small or large quantity, is forbidden. To say or to think that if it is from grapes it is forbidden, but if it is from another type, then it is permissible to drink as much as does not cause intoxication, is contrary to the statement of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4484