51/40. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 5655 — Every Intoxicant Is Unlawful
Permission for Some of Them
Hadith Every Intoxicant Is Haram: Drink, But Do Not Cross the Line
Sunan an-Nasai : 5655
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 5655
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَلِيٍّ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَيُّوبَ - مَرْوَزِيٌّ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْكِنْدِيُّ، - خُرَاسَانِيٌّ - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَا هُوَ يَسِيرُ إِذْ حَلَّ بِقَوْمٍ فَسَمِعَ لَهُمْ لَغَطًا فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا الصَّوْتُ " . قَالُوا يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ يَشْرَبُونَهُ . فَبَعَثَ إِلَى الْقَوْمِ فَدَعَاهُمْ فَقَالَ " فِي أَىِّ شَىْءٍ تَنْتَبِذُونَ " . قَالُوا نَنْتَبِذُ فِي النَّقِيرِ وَالدُّبَّاءِ وَلَيْسَ لَنَا ظُرُوفٌ . فَقَالَ " لاَ تَشْرَبُوا إِلاَّ فِيمَا أَوْكَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ " . قَالَ فَلَبِثَ بِذَلِكَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَلْبَثَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ أَصَابَهُمْ وَبَاءٌ وَاصْفَرُّوا . قَالَ " مَا لِي أَرَاكُمْ قَدْ هَلَكْتُمْ " . قَالُوا يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَرْضُنَا وَبِيئَةٌ وَحَرَّمْتَ عَلَيْنَا إِلاَّ مَا أَوْكَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ . قَالَ " اشْرَبُوا وَكُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ " .
'Abdullah bin Buraidah Narrated from:
'Abdullah bin Buraidah (narrated) from his father that: While the Messenger of Allah [SAW] was walking, he approached some people and heard a confused noise coming from them. He said: "What is this noise?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, they have a drink that they drink." He sent for those people and said: "In what do you soak (fruit - to make that drink)?" They said: "We soak (fruits) in vessels carved from wood and gourds, and we have no water skins (that can be closed)." He said: "Do not drink except from a vessel that can be tied closed."Then as much time as Allah willed passed, then he went back to them and they had fallen sick and become pallid. He said: "Why do you look so ill?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, our land is unhealthy and you forbade to us everything except that which was in a vessel that could be tied closed." He said: "Drink, but every intoxicant is unlawful."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 5655In-book reference : Book 51, Hadith 117English translation : Vol. 6, Book 51, Hadith 5658
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 5655
This hadith about every intoxicant being haram tells a fuller story. The Prophet SAW heard noise from people who had a drink. He asked what they used for soaking, and they said they used vessels carved from wood and gourds because they had no water-skins. He first told them not to drink except from a vessel that could be tied closed. Later, when he returned, they looked ill and explained their hardship. He then said: drink, but every intoxicant is unlawful. The teaching is clear from the wording. Permission to drink is mentioned, but intoxication is not permitted. This narration is important for searches about alcohol in Islam, intoxicants hadith, and drink vessel rulings.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet SAW asked about the drink and the vessels being used.
- The people explained their lack of vessels and later their hardship.
- The final rule in the hadith is clear: every intoxicant is unlawful.
- Permission to drink does not include permission to drink intoxicants.
