This excerpt is taken from the book of Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri Hafizahullah Difa-e-Sahaba Radi Allahu Anhum.
Siddiq and Farooq Radi Allahu Anhuma and Alcohol
Alcohol is forbidden; before the revelation of its prohibition, some companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to drink it. Even after the prohibition of alcohol, it is proven that some companions drank it, and the punishment was also applied to them. After the punishment was established, it is not permissible to blame anyone.
The two leaders, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, have the distinction that they never drank alcohol, neither before its prohibition nor after, neither in the time of ignorance nor in Islam.
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
حرم أبو بكر الخمرة على نفسه فلم يشربها فى جاهلية، ولا إسلام.
"Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, never drank alcohol, neither in the time of ignorance nor in Islam; he had declared it forbidden upon himself."
Reference: (Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani: 160/7, and its chain is Hasan)
The scholar of Ahl al-Bayt, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, states:
بلغ عمر بن الخطاب أن فلانا باع خمرا، فقال : قاتل الله فلانا، ألم يعلم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : قاتل الله اليهود حرمت عليهم الشحوم، فجملوها فباعوها .
"Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, heard that a certain person was selling alcohol, so he said: May Allah destroy him. Does he not know the command of the Messenger, peace be upon him, that Allah destroyed the Jews? When fat from forbidden animals was prohibited, they melted it and sold it."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2223, Sahih Muslim: 1582)
Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said from the pulpit:
أما بعد، نزل تحريم الخمر .... والخمر ما خامر العقل .
"Beware, the prohibition of alcohol has been revealed. Alcohol is that which causes confusion in the mind."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 5581)
Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, punished his son Abdul Rahman with lashes for drinking alcohol, even though the punishment had already been established on him.
Reference: (Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 312/8-313, and its chain is authentic)
Also, Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, applied the punishment for alcohol on his son Ubaydullah.
Reference: (Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 17028, Muwatta Imam Malik: 842/2, Sunan al-Nasa'i: 5780, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar by Al-Tahawi: 222/4, and its chain is authentic)
It is proven that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, applied the punishment on a drinker.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6773)
In short, it is established from the two Shaykhs that they applied the punishment for alcohol and declared its prohibition, but it is not proven that at any moment in their lives they drank alcohol. Some doubts that are raised in this regard are examined as follows.
Doubt Number 1
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
إني لأسقي أبا طلحة وأبا دجانة وسهيل بن البيضاء، خليط بسر وتمر، إذ حرمت الخمر ، فقذفتها، وأنا ساقيهم وأصغرهم .
"I used to serve Abu Talha, Abu Dujana, Suhail bin Bayda (may Allah be pleased with them) with date wine. When the prohibition of wine was revealed, I threw it away. I was their cupbearer and younger than them in age."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 5600)
Commentary:
➊ This incident is from before the prohibition of wine, as is clear from the words.
➋ The names of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) are not among these people.
➌ In Tafsir Ibn Mardawayh, it is mentioned that Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) were also included among them.
Reference: (Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar: 37/10)
This is an unauthenticated narration and holds no status in the scholarly world.
Doubt Number 2
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كنت ساقي القوم تينا، وزبيبا، أخلطناهم جميعا، وكان فى القوم رجل يقال له : أبو بكر رجل من كنانة، فلما شرب .
"I was a cupbearer; we used to make wine from figs and raisins. Among the people was a man from Banu Kinana named Abu Bakr. When he drank the wine..."
Reference: (Musnad al-Bazzar: 7532)
Commentary:
The chain of narration is very weak.
"Matar bin Maymoon is abandoned."
Reference: (At-Taqreeb by Ibn Hajar: 6703)
This refers to a person named Abu Bakr from Banu Kinana, not Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him).
Doubt Number 3
Allama Zamakhshari wrote:
حتى شربها عمر .
"Our master Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) drank wine."
Reference: (Rabee' al-Abrar: 9/5)
Comment:
This is an unsupported statement, and it is not permissible to take evidence from it.
Similarly, in the narration of Tabari, there is no mention of our master Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and the narration is disconnected; Zaid bin Ali Abu Qamus did not live in the time of our master Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
Doubt Number 4
Aslam (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"Our master Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) liked Nabidh."
Reference: (Muwatta Imam Malik: 894/2)
Comment:
Here, it is about a drink called Nabidh, not Khamr, meaning wine.
Doubt Number 5
Hassan bin Mukhaariq, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
بلغني أن عمر بن الخطاب، ساير رجلا فى سفر وكان صائما، فلما أفطر أهوى إلى قربة لعمر معلقة فيها نبيد قد خضخضها البعير ، فشرب منها فسكر، فضربه عمر الحد، فقال له : إنما شربت من قربتك، فقال له عمر : إنما جلدناك لسكرك .
"I received news that during a journey with Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, a person was fasting and drank Nabeez from Umar's water-skin, he became intoxicated, Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, imposed the hadd punishment. The person said: I drank from your water-skin? Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: We imposed the hadd on you because you became intoxicated."
Reference: (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 502/6)
Commentary:
The chain of narration is weak.
➊ The narrator is unknown.
➋ There is no mention of Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, drinking it.
➌ It is possible that Nabeez turned into wine.
➍ The fact that Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, administered lashes is evidence that he did not consider drinking such Nabeez permissible if it had turned into wine.
Note:
Nabeez is halal, but if it causes intoxication, it is haram. It is not proven that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, drank intoxicating Nabeez.
Doubt Number 6
Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه said:
إني كنت من أشرب الناس لها فى الجاهلية .
"I used to drink the most alcohol during the time of ignorance."
Reference: (Tarikh al-Madina by Ibn Shabba: 813/3)
Commentary:
The chain is weak. Samak bin Harb رحمه الله is mixed, and Hamad bin Salmah رحمه الله did not hear from him before the mixing.
Benefit:
When the prohibition of alcohol was revealed, Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
اللهم بين لنا فى الخمر بيانا شافيا.
"O Allah! Reveal a clear and sufficient statement regarding alcohol."
Then the verse from Surah Al-Baqarah
Reference: (219)
was revealed. When he repeated the same words, the verse from Surah An-Nisa
Reference: (43)
was revealed. When he prayed again, the verse from Surah Al-Ma'idah
Reference: (91)
was revealed. Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) says that then we refrained from alcohol.
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 3670, Sunan An-Nasa'i: 5555, Sunan At-Tirmidhi: 3049)
The chain of narration is weak.
➊ Abu Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on him) is a muddler; he did not specify the hearing.
➋ The narration from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) by Amr ibn Sharhabil Abu Maysarah (may Allah have mercy on him) is a mursal narration.
It has been followed in Al-Awsat by Al-Tabarani and Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim, but it is a weak chain; Hammad ibn Humayd (may Allah have mercy on him) is considered weak by the majority. Also, Abu Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on him) has a repeated narration.
Warning:
About Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه:
إن رجلا من الأنصار دعاه وعبد الرحمن بن عوف فسقاهما قبل أن تحرم الخمر، فأمهم على فى المغرب فقرأ : قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ فخلط فيها، فنزلت : لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ
"An Ansari man invited Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه and Abdur Rahman ibn Awf رضي الله عنه and served them wine, at that time wine was not prohibited. Then Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه led the Maghrib prayer and recited Surah Al-Kafirun, but the words became confused. Then this verse was revealed: لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ 'Do not pray while intoxicated until you know what you are saying.'"
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 3671 and its chain is Hasan)
Imam Tirmidhi رحمه الله says:
هذا حديث حسن صحيح غريب.
"This hadith is Hasan Sahih Gharib."
Reference: (Sunan al-Tirmidhi under the hadith: 3026)
Imam Hakim رحمه الله
Reference: (307/2)
has declared it authentic with a sound chain, and Hafiz Dhahabi رحمه الله has said it is authentic.Warning:
It is not proven that Sayyiduna Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه drank alcohol.
Abdullah ibn Buraidah رحمه الله narrates:
دخلت أنا وأبي على معاوية فأجلسنا على الفرش، ثم أتينا بالطعام فأكلنا، ثم أتينا بالشراب فشرب معاوية، ثم ناول أبي، ثم قال: ما شربته منذ حرمه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثم قال معاوية : كنت أجمل شباب قريش وأجوده ثغرا، وما شيء كنت أجد له لذة كما كنت أجده وأنا شاب غير اللبن، أو إنسان حسن الحديث يحدثني.
“Myself and my honorable father went to the presence of Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, he seated us on a carpet, food was served to us, we ate, then some drink (nabidh, etc.) was brought, Muawiyah رضي الله عنه drank it and handed it to my father and said: Since the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم declared it (intoxicating nabidh) forbidden, I have never drunk it. He further said: I was the most handsome young man among the Quraysh and had the best teeth, and the pleasure I used to get then is not granted today, except from milk or hearing good words from a person.”
Reference: (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 347/5)
Commentary:
The chain is weak. The narration of Husain bin Waqid, may Allah have mercy on him, from Abdullah bin Buraydah, may Allah have mercy on him, is rejected.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
عبد الله بن بريدة الذى روى عنه حسين بن واقد ما أنكرها.
"How much are the narrations of Abdullah bin Buraydah, may Allah have mercy on him, which Husain bin Waqid, may Allah have mercy on him, reports from him, rejected?"
Reference: (Al-‘Ilal wa Ma‘rifat al-Rijal bi Riwayat Ibnihi Abdullah: 1420)
This criticism is explanatory and undeniable.
In Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir
Reference: (420/34)
, an incident is mentioned:غزا عبد الرحمن بن سهل الأنصاري فى زمان عثمان ومعاوية أمير على الشام فمرت به روايا خمر تحمل، فقال إليها عبد الرحمن برمحه فبقر كل راوية منها فناوشه غلمانه حتى بلغ شأنه معاوية فقال: دعوه فإنه شيخ قد ذهب عقله فقال: كذب، والله ما ذهب عقلي ولكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نهانا أن ندخل بطوننا وأسقيتنا وأحلف بالله لئن أنا بقيت حتى أرى فى معاوية ما سمعت من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لأبقرن بطنه.
"In the time of our master Uthman bin Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, when our master Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, was the governor of Sham, Abdul Rahman bin Suhail, may Allah be pleased with him, was on a military expedition when skins of wine passed by him. He pierced those skins with a spear. The boys stopped him. When this incident reached our master Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: Leave him! He has grown old and his mind has failed. Abdul Rahman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: By Allah! My mind is sound, but the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade us that wine should remain in our stomachs or vessels. By Allah! If I see Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, drinking wine in my lifetime, I will tear his stomach open."
Reference: (Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir: 420/34)
Comment:
The chain is weak.
➊ Muhammad bin Ishaq, may Allah have mercy on him, is a fabricator; he did not specify the hearing.
➋ Buraidah bin Sufyan Aslami, may Allah have mercy on him, is weak.
Imam Darqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, has said "abandoned."
Reference: (Al-Du'afa wal-Matrukoon: 134)
