Fath al-Rabbani

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that wine was prohibited in three stages. When the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Madinah Munawwarah, people used to drink wine and consume earnings from gambling. When they asked the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the ruling on wine and gambling, Allah the Exalted revealed this command: {یَسْئَـلُوْنَکَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَیْسِرِ قُلْ فِیْہِمَآ اِثْمٌ کَبِیْرٌ وَّمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ ْ وَاِثْـمُہُمَآ اَکْبَرُ مِنْ نَّفْعِہِمَا وَیَسْئَـلُوْنَکَ مَاذَا یُنْفِقُوْنَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ کَذٰلِکَ یُـبَیِّنُ اللّٰہُ لَکُمُ الْاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَتَفَکَّرُوْنَ۔} … They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend. Say, "The excess [beyond needs]." Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 219) People said: These have not yet been made unlawful for us; Allah the Exalted has only said that there is great sin in them, so they continued to drink wine. Until a time came when a man from among the Muhajirun led his companions in prayer—it was the Maghrib prayer—and he mixed up the recitation. So Allah the Exalted revealed a slightly stricter command regarding this and said: {یَا أَ یُّہَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوْا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاۃَ وَأَ نْتُمْ سُکَارٰی حَتَّی تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ} … O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying. Yet people continued to drink wine, but in such a way that they would be sober by the time of prayer. Eventually, the strictest prohibition was revealed regarding this, so Allah the Exalted said: {یَا أَ یُّہَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوْا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَیْسِرُ وَالْأَ نْصَابُ وَالْأَ زْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّیْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوْہُ لَعَلَّکُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ} … O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 90) Then people said: Now we have refrained. Then some people said: O Messenger of Allah! Those who have been martyred in the way of Allah or died a natural death, while they used to drink wine and consume earnings from gambling, and now Allah the Exalted has declared it impure and a satanic act—so at that time Allah the Exalted revealed this command: {لَیْسَ عَلَی الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ جُنَاحٌ فِیْمَا طَعِمُوْٓا اِذَا مَا اتَّقَوْا وَّاٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَّاٰمَنُوْا ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَّاَحْسَنُوْا وَاللّٰہُ یُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ۔} … There is not upon those who believe and do righteousness [any] blame concerning what they have eaten [in the past] if they [now] fear Allah and believe and do righteous deeds, then [again] fear Allah and believe, and then [again] fear Allah and do good; and Allah loves the doers of good. (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 93) Then the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If these had been made unlawful in their lifetime, they too would have abandoned them just as you have abandoned them.